Group Hosts Forum on Global Challenges

The IE Africa Center recently hosted the Lagos edition of its event series ‘African Solutions, Global Challenges,’ in Lagos.

An academic and research center of IE University, Spain, the IE Africa Center aims to revolutionise the way in which the next generation of global executives understand African innovation.

The forum was opened by the President of IE University Santiago Iñiguez, who expressed delight at making his first trip to Nigeria for the Lagos edition of the Africa Center forum.

“At IE University, we are committed to equipping our students and community with an education that will empower them to change the world. In order to do that, they have to learn lessons in innovation from Africa,” a statement quoted him to have said.

Still on proffering solutions to global problems, Įñiguez said “research shows that the early years of education even from kindergarten can be key to develop basic skills such as being creative and innovative. We are working very closely with many institutions in order to develop the digital skills and other analytical skills that are required in today’s professional world from the very early stages of education.”

The forum featured a gathering of intellects from various areas such as banking, law, Fintech, technology, civil service who presented solutions they had applied to handle global challenges.

Ndidi Nwuneli, the Co-founder and Managing Partner of Sahel Capital and AACE foods while speaking at the event said: “Value sectors in this country are untapped yet we believe in this country we can have a better life. Right here in Nigeria we can create wealth. Right here we can improve our outcomes and the outcomes of others… We’re writing a new narrative about our country.”

She went further to reveal a problem thus: “Nigeria imports 95 per cent of the milk that she uses. In this country, most of our children don’t know fresh milk because they only have powdered milk; some of which doesn’t even have protein. We have the largest Cattle herd in Africa yet they’re very lean because they have to travel for food.”

In tackling the problem, Nwuneli explained, “In Sahel Consulting over the last three years, we’ve been piloting the Nigerian Dairy Development Project. It is basically putting Fulani creatives into clusters, settling them, providing them with solar powered boreholes, training etc. enabling them to supply fresh milk to Oyo and Kano.”

“Less can be so much more. You have to learn to create a balance – not being busy but being in business,” Ayuli Jemide, Lead Partner at Detail Commercial Solicitors said.

Also, Olusegun Adeniyi, Head Africa, Fintech Foundry Access Bank, stated that there was need to control the influx of new ideas coming from youths to ensure that those ideas are commercially viable.

He also revealed that the greatest problems faced by youths who have great ideas was finance, he went on to enumerate the various ways in which technology plays a big role in enhancing the growth and development of start-ups.

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