By Ugo Aliogo
Small Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) have been urged to take advantage of technological platforms and innovative products to create wider visibility and reach for their businesses.
The advice was given in Lagos, recently, by the Chief Executive Officer, Real Education Consult, Chuks Ezeji, at the Illustrious Africa Award 2020 organised by My Media Africa.
He noted that technology gives small business owners and their employers the option to work in the office, from home and even across the country.
He also stated that it has afforded small business owners the opportunity to hire talent from globally, thereby providing their businesses a competitive edge in the global environment.
“With the introduction of e-business platforms like myarigo.com, arlarlashops.com.ng and others, ad digital mall designed to showcase SME businesses and services offering them the opportunity to reach their customers and clients through advertisement, helping them to focus on business strategies and allowing their employees spoon-feed their distractions while the computer runs reports and creates tasks and projects,” Ezeji stated.
Some of the recipients were former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was awarded the Peace Ambassador of the Year; the former National Secretary of APGA, Dr. Sani Shinkafi, who was conferred with outstanding excellence for service; Mrs. Abiye Tam-George as the Children’s right and Child Protection Advocate of the Year; among others.
In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Arinze Madueke, said the focus of the award was to showcase success stories, entrepreneurship and innovation across Africa.
He stated that innovation and technology would put Nigeria and the continent of Africa in the limelight, while noting that technology was needed to free the continent from the problems facing it.
Madueke said the focus of the magazine is on entrepreneurship, innovation, technology and business.
“Technology is vital for SMEs because it gives them visibility to reach their desired clients. It also makes it easy for SMEs to access loans from some technology companies.
“Government have a role to play if they can encourage technology across Nigeria, a lot of problems will be solved. There are a lot of individuals with initiatives of setting up technology company, but don’t have the fund to float their startups, so government can give them seed capital.”
