Olukayode Pitan, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Industry, encouraged entrepreneurs to envision a future without boundaries and to establish a legacy of entrepreneurship that would inspire future generations and position Africa as a dominant force in the global economy.

This call was made during the Global Entrepreneurship Congress Africa meeting, which was organized by GEN Nigeria and themed 'Connecting Africa: Strides in the Nigerian entrepreneurship ecosystem.' The event took place in Lagos.
GEC+Africa, an influential initiative of GEN Africa, brings together entrepreneurial communities across the continent with the aim of driving economic growth, empowering innovators, and creating a sustainable ecosystem for businesses in Africa.
As a keynote speaker at the event, Pitan highlighted that the African entrepreneurial landscape has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years, owing to the abundance of diverse and talented young individuals, improved access to technology, an expanding urban population, and increased interest from investors in the continent's potential.

Pitan remarked, "As a result, there has been a significant increase in the establishment of start-up businesses across strategic sectors like agribusiness, Fintech, renewable energy, e-commerce, health tech, among others. These enterprises have consistently offered innovative solutions to address some of the most critical developmental challenges faced by the continent."
As I observe the developments within the African start-up ecosystem, I am immensely proud to see Nigerian start-up businesses taking the lead in reshaping the continent's economic outlook towards a more positive trajectory.

Nigeria is at the forefront of this transformation, boasting the highest number of start-ups in Africa, and securing an impressive $8.43 billion in funding, as reported in 2023 by Statista and Start-up Genome.
Their achievements and influence have strengthened the case for emphasizing the significance of entrepreneurship and innovation in shaping Africa's economic future, thus emphasizing the importance of duplicating these accomplishments in other regions of the continent.

Nonetheless, he also pointed out the obstacles confronting the entrepreneurial environment in Nigeria, such as limited access to finance, regulatory constraints, expanding operations beyond the local market, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of mentorship and support systems.