​A Taste of Nigeria: The Entrepreneurs Turning Agricultural Waste into Wealth

Hello and welcome to the podcast. Today, what we're going to do is OK, today I want to let you guys know about some coming developments when it comes to promoting Nigerian entrepreneurship. And there's a program that is planned that is going to be planned by a wealth advisor. I think they're a wealth advisor and they're called Z Crest. Z Crest is ZEDCRES tea and my wife and I use them for a couple of things and well anyway, this is not a promo so don't worry,

I'm not advertising any company. But The thing is since my wife and I do a couple of things with this company every single year, like most companies do in Nigeria, they send a hamper. But one cool thing about the hampers that we get from Z Crest is that they have been curating something from Nigerian entrepreneurs, something that they call a Taste of Nigeria. So unlike other companies that send you hampers and the hamper is, you know, a Biro, a notebook, maybe some cornflakes,

maybe some coffee, some butter, things like that. The Send Crest has been putting together these packages called A Taste of Nigeria and what they do is they create a selection of different things that are made homegrown here in Nigeria by Nigerian entrepreneurs. And I think my wife also agrees as well, excuse me, that it's a really OK. Well, first of all, their hamper stands apart from other people, other companies because theirs is, is different.

So it actually is something that we look forward to every single year. You know, we wonder, you know, what is Z Crest where they give us this year because theirs is unique. It's a collection of different things that have been made by Nigerian entrepreneurs. So their hampers stand apart. Also, I think it's a very creative way for them to do CSR. That is corporate social responsibility. And you know, they're doing corporate social responsibility in a way that directly gives back, back to the community.

You know, they are into wealth management. So if they are popularizing or promoting or you know, advertising Nigerian homegrown businesses, then I don't know. But actually what Zencrest is doing, I think it's really, really impressive, really, really wonderful. So anyway, it's a taste of Nigeria and we just got there 2025 Taste of Nigeria edition. Not like we just got it because of course, you know, we went home, we travelled to Macadi for the holidays and now we're back in Abuja and we've picked up our hamper.

So it's the Taste of Nigeria 2025 edition. And I'm just creating today's podcast just to share some of the stuff that is in the hamper. And the reason why I'm sharing the stuff in the hamper is not because I'm trying to promote Zen Crest, but it's because lots of times those of us in the entrepreneurial space in Nigeria, we have very fixed, very traditional, very limited ideas about what kind of businesses are out there and what kind of business ideas that we can pursue.

And I keep talking about how if we expand our horizons, if we keep our eyes open, we're going to see that there are lots of things that are viable business opportunities that lots of us are not even exploring. And I think that is the beauty of a Taste of Nigeria, the Taste of Nigeria gift box, a hamper that is put together by Z Crest. So let me just go ahead. I have the pamphlet here with me and let me just flip through the whole thing.

Oh, by the way, I'm making today's recording out and about in the parking lot as usual. So expect to hear some noise in the background. So looking through the pamphlet there is OK, There's a message from Oyun Oyun Consola Adebuye, she's the head of Brandon Communications for Z Crest Group. So according to the note that she has here, that the reason why the Taste of Nigeria campaign was launched was to encourage Nigerians both at home and in diaspora to start shopping locally because there are lots of made in Nigeria brands that we can patronize.

So that's the whole point of the campaign. Now they have all kinds of featured brands. There are some brewery products. Yeah. Alcohol. You know, apart from Origin bitters, we actually have some really interesting alcohol businesses. Adult beverages. Let's just put it that way. Let's see, what else. OK. There's also some homegrown chocolate offerings, Beauty and skin care. Let's see what else, foods, food, food processing, there's jam, what else?

Luxury and lifestyle, crafts, different kinds of things that I have there. So let me just run you through a couple of things from the selection that we received this year. OK, so now one business that is there is called Happy Coffee and of course, that is Nigerian coffee. Although the first time I saw it, I was wondering coffee, like serious coffee drinkers drink coffee. Now the reason so I drink Nigerian coffee. Now, the reason why I was thinking that is because I have an uncle who drinks coffee.

He actually is the priest who celebrated my wedding. I mean, he was the officiating priest when I was getting married to my wife. And the guy is a mad coffee drinker, always, always, always drinking coffee. And so when I saw it, he actually was the first person that I thought about and I figured I'd give him the coffee because me, I'm not really a coffee drinker. I just take normal, you know, Lipton, you know, I'm not fancy like that, you know, just I take normal stuff.

So I was wondering if Nigerians would drink a Nigerian coffee. But it's good that Nigerians are getting into this space because I think coffee is originally like an Ethiopian thing, if I remember correctly. I can't remember. I think it's an Ethiopian thing. And then we have coffee hubs in I think Kenya. I think Kenya is also big in the coffee trade. So it's nice that Nigerian business is also throwing their hat in the ring.

So the business is called Happy Coffee and was founded by Princess Adeyinka Tekena. Yeah. OK. Yes, Princess Adeyinka Tekena. So apart from her being the founder of the of the brand Happy Coffee, she's also the convener of the Lagos Coffee Festival. So for those of you who are in Lagos and for those of you who figure who, who think of yourselves as coffee connoisseurs, you know, you have something to look forward to in Lagos.

And the Princess Adeinka graduated from Harold Washington College and she has a business management degree from the University of Phoenix in Chicago. Then let's see what else, OK. She has over 15 years experience in business. What else? Anyway, so that's just a little bit about her profile and the name of the business is Happy Coffee. So that's one of the things that I received that we received my wife and I in our hamper from Z

Crest. Then there is one that we did not receive, but I wish we received. And this is a Baturi brewery, and it's founded by Bio Ijasa. And OK, he's described as the production director and the brew master. Yeah, brew master. That means he's the he's the chief, the chief alcoholic in the business. He's the one that makes all the makes all the beer. So he's described here as a brand builder, and he's passionate about advancing Africa's craft beer movement.

Movement. Now, craft beer. What is craft beer? So for those of us who come from drinking families, we all know beer, all right, Well, we all know beer. We know rock, we know 33, we know Star, we know Golda, we know Guinness, we know you know all of those things. We know the traditional Laga beer, you know, that is made by, you know, established businesses. Now there is this thing that well in my own opinion anyway, because I first know about craft beer from you know, the Americans, Americans and then some of the Europeans like the Germans.

There's this thing called craft beer or artisanal beer. Now craft beer or artisanal beer is when you know, people get together, excuse me and start making their own unique flavor of beer. So like me now for instance, I can say, OK, maybe I like honey and beer is too bitter. So therefore I was not start creating my own kind of honey that we brew it and then we mix it with honey or something like that when I start creating our own unique flavors of beer.

So that is something that was already done in the Caribbean by the by the Jamaicans. And excuse me, I hear that that is where ginger beer comes from. So it is beer, yes, but in the way you brew it, you know, add ginger to the whole thing, you know, just to give the thing some, you know, give it some life, make it unique, make it different. So it looks as if the craft beer thing has now entered Africa and has now entered Niger.

So this guy, Bio E Jason, is trying to take advantage of this movement and he has thrown his hat in the ring and he's making his own beer. And The thing is called the the brewery is called Baturi Brewery. Although I wonder why he will call it Baturi because, well, at least in my own language anyway, Baturi means white, you know, like Oyibo. But you're trying to take advantage of an African movement. So how would you name your company after something Oyibo?

But then again, he tracks me as a Yoruba boy because his name is Bayo. Of course, he just saw if I'm pronouncing it correctly. So maybe Batura means something else in in Yoruba language. But you can see that we have Nigerian operators who are looking at different, are looking around and trying different businesses. You know, not everybody is saying I must be a web designer, I must be into graphics, I must be a wedding photographer or I

must be a lawyer or an engineer or a doctor. People are trying different things. Princess Tekena is saying let us try coffee, then battery. He's saying that all of us, you should be care guides, we should try beer. That's what he's doing, craft, craft beer. So let's see, what are some things around we can say about him? OK, His brewery is in Victoria Island in Lagos. And let's see, OK, he's an award winner. I think he won the Black Gold's bronze.

The golds? Which one is Black Gold bronze? I'm confused though. Anyway, this is an African beer cup in 2019. Oh, I love my people. Can you imagine there's an African, a cup, African Cup, international cup around beer? That's why I love Africans. We come up with the coolest stuff. I would like to take part in that kind of competition. I hope they open it to local people, I mean, to individual participants who can drink the most amount of beer.

I'd like to go there and let me see if I can win an award. So he also won awards, multiple awards at the World Beer Awards in 2022. This is really, really interesting. So Battery Brewery, this was not in our basket. I wish it was there. But yeah. So this is one kind of business that lots of some Nigerians are trying out. The artisanal beer space, the craft beer space, then Loom Chocolates. So this was founded by Uzo Amaka Igweke.

Hope I'm pronouncing her name correctly. She's the founder of Loom Craft Chocolate. And yes, we did get this one in the bag. There are a cocoa processing company based in Abuja, Nigeria. Oh, she's even in my back here itself 'cause I'm based in Abuja. And that's for those of you who don't know. Sorry, I didn't even do any introductions. My name is Tavishma here. I'm the host of the podcast. I'm a former lawyer turned the business consultant, and this podcast is normally devoted to solving business problems,

especially from a sales and business development perspective. But I was so impressed by this hamper that we received or this gift box that we received from Z Crest that I'm making today's episode just to show you guys, this is the wonderful stuff that was in the box. And then also to inspire some of you who are listening that perhaps when it comes to business, you can, you know, shine your eye and look out for other business ideas and not just do the same more things that everybody else is doing.

So if you love the podcast, then please subscribe on Spotify, on Apple iTunes, YouTube, wherever you listen. And if you'd love to connect with me, you can call, you can send me a text message, you can send me a WhatsApp message on 08064662140. Now back to Loom Craft Chocolate founded by Ozoamaka Igweke based in Abuja. So she has a bachelor's degree in engineering from the University of Nigeria, Asuka. Now the reason why I'm saying this is because you know, the 1st girl that I spoke of, you know, graduated first class, you know, Chicago, Washington, DC,

blah, blah, blah. Some of you are not saying, some of you start saying damn, damn. You know, I just got back, you know, Nigerian diaspora, but I'm a local person, you know, we don't have those opportunities. So you have it here. There's somebody that finished from University of Nigeria, Asuka and she's the founder of Loom Crafts Chocolate. So she let's see. OK, She studied business administration. Yeah, business administration.

OK Alliance. OK, no, let me not say that one before because you give some of you an excuse to say she went abroad. So let me not let me not tell you where she did her master's in business administration. But anyway, she worked closely with over 1000 cocoa farmers because she wants to ensure fair trade and sustainability in the supply chain. Now this is what fair trade and sustainability means. Well, I put it OK, from studying social studies in in, in primary school, we know that there are lots of companies from the West that came here and we're extracting raw materials, local resources here and then taking it abroad and then doing value add and then selling the thing back here at higher prices.

In other words, you come and take cocoa from here and you buy it cheap, then you shipped it, you ship it to the United Kingdom and then you process it and then you make you make Bon Vita and then you now sell it back to Nigeria at an expensive prices. So these are the kinds of things that are around fair trade, you know, like products are being sourced from here cheaply and being sold back here expensively. So companies like Loom craft chocolate, like people like Uzo Amaka Igweki, when they get involved in this thing and they're worried about fair trade and sustainability, they're just trying to make sure that we're sourcing from local communities.

But then people in the local community should be able to afford these sorts of things as well. So we source the cocoa from here, but Nigerians should be able to buy the thing as well. And then sustainability in the value chain just means you don't just keep on extracting and extracting, but you also find ways to make sure that the the value, the value chain continues. Like, take for instance, timber, you know, companies come here,

they cut down trees and then they leave and then they create expensive carpentry stuff, you know, desks and all kinds of things and then sell them expensive back to Nigeria. But that sustainability would mean the company is not just cutting down trees, but the company is also trying to plant trees in return. So like, let everything continue. Then they also work with other ingredients, not just chocolates, but they also work.

That's Loom, Kraft chocolates, UZO, Amakas people. They also work in coffee. They also deal work with sesame, cashew and ginger because the chocolate has a different flavours. If you want to know how good the chocolate is, you have to ask my wife because me, I'm not really a chocolate person. I don't like dark chocolate. I prefer white chocolate. But then my sister-in-law, you guys know that she's a she's a chef and a professional Baker.

Whenever I say I like white chocolate, she will say Uncle T, what are you saying? There's no such thing as white chocolate. Now all chocolate is black. That white chocolate is just milk. You just carry milk and put sugar. That white chocolate is not real. White chocolate does not exist. So my answer to you guys is I don't care. I don't care if white chocolate is not a thing. I prefer white chocolate. I don't like that chocolate.

So Ozoamaka, keep up the good work. But honestly, I don't know if your stuff is good because I prefer the white stuff. So Ozoamaka, I beg you guys, just start making white chocolate. I'm just begging you. That's for those of us who don't like dark chocolate because dark chocolate is bitter and some of us have sweet tooth. Then also, Amaka Iguayke is a recipient of the Tony Lumelu Foundation Award. OK, she's, she's an alumni of the Tony Alumelu Foundation.

That means she graduated from there. Let's see. OK, let me move on. 17 minutes. Now. This is another one that I wanted to be in the basket, but they did not give us Z Crests. Z Crest, you should put this one in my basket next year or you consola at the boy. If any of you are listening to this thing and you know, or you consola at the boy. She's the head of brands and communications for Z Crest. Send this podcast episode to her.

Tell her that in 2026, my Christmas hamper, they should put this one here. Now. This is what I want them to put. There's a business here that is called Pedro's and Pedros is an Ogoro business. Yes, you heard me correctly, Pedros Ogoro. In fact, let me read from the hamper. Ogoro is a traditional dispilled, sorry distilled spirit from the oil palm or raffia palm tree primarily consumed in Nigeria and across West and Central Africa.

So yes, Ogoro, the reason why I wanted this Ogoro in my hamper is because since I was born and now I am old, I have never tasted a Google. I have never seen it, I have never smelled it. So I'm curious, I want to know what a Google is because, you know, in my own part of the world, what we have is Buruku 2. We have BKT, then we also have palm wine and you know, all those kinds of things. But behind a Google Goguru, I've never heard it.

I heard that thing is mad. That is mad that is is for men, senior men and senior women that you're a lightweight if you're if you're a soft touch, you don't try this thing because the thing will just fry your brain. So yeah. So please, Z Crest next year, put Pedros, put Oguguru in my basket. Let me let me see what this Oguguru craze is like. Let me try it and let me be convinced or let me be confused about how Oguguru is superior to other drinks.

Then the founders of Pedros Oguguru, the founders are Chibu Akukwe and Lola Pedro. So Chibu Akukwe is a guy and then Lola Pedro a girl. SO2 founders. Now they claim that Ogogoro flourished in Western Africa until the colonialists got here and then that led to a decline. And if that is true, then it's a pity because you look as if the colonialists came here and they. Deemphasize the Ogo guru Boruku to palm wine all our local things that we distill here.

And then they now brought in, you know, malt liquor and all the, you know, good process stuff from from Scotland, from UK, from, you know, all those other places. But anyway, if that's the case, it's a good thing that we're seeing a, a revival offer some of this traditional stuff. So Z Crest, please, next year, make sure you put Pedro's or Gogoro in my basket. Let me try this stuff. Let me try this good stuff. So the founders again, Chubu Akukui and Lola Pedro, besides all these people that are mentioning, I'm mentioning their names because I want you to actually go and check them up.

Go and look for them on LinkedIn. Go and look for them on social media, you know, go on and follow them. You know, when you start following people like this on social media, consuming their content, things like that, it opens up your eyes to a world that you are not even considering. So can you see some of us were thinking of business. We thought about the obvious stuff, web design, photography. We did not know that oh Google can be a business.

I wish my father was alive today so he can see this, that people are using Oh Google as business. Then there's another beauty called Dang that is Dang exclamation mark, so I'm assuming it's pronounced Dang and it's a skin care brand. And the founder is Efedao Agoro. So she's the founder. Let's see what else OK says here that she has a rich background in storytelling and community engagement. OK. She relocated to the United States to expand her business.

Oh, OK, she don't check back. She has left us yeah OK, well, and if you're still in Nigeria, we can we can support her. So Dang is sold on e-commerce. She has an e-commerce retail platform. So you have to buy this online. Yeah is a pretty sheet on jackpot. But anyway, she's still one of Russia. So I check out and support her. So Dang beauty and skin care founder Iffeda your agoro. Then there's another one Cocari coconuts.

Of course, this one is food. You don't like how people do plantain ships. So that's what this woman has done the same thing to Coconuts and Cashew. A woman's name is Ebu Fellowdu. She has a 20 year career in publishing, environmental advocacy, brand storytelling and of course agriculture. So she's the founder at Kokari Coconuts and Company. Kokari spelled K OK A RI. Then what they do is they turn raw materials like cashew into snacks and stuff like that.

So cookery, coconuts and companies OK. They currently work with over 5000 farmers. By the way. This is one of the reason why I like some of these enterprises and is also the reason why I say SME is the way forward. Small and medium scale enterprises and local, local entrepreneurship, homegrown entrepreneurship, because you can see that the multiplier effect that it has. So Co carry coconuts. She's doing business with over 5000 farmers then.

So let me flip through the brochure again, or as my people like to say, the brochure. Let me shift to the brochure. And then Uzo Maka Iguaiki long chocolates, she's working with 1000 farmers. So you can see that the business founded by two young women, Uzo Amaka Igweke and EBO Feludu, those two businesses responsible for employing over 6000 farmers in Nigeria is the reason why I say this is the way forward. Anyway, let me keep moving.

OK, this is almost 30 minutes. So cookery, coconuts. OK, then this one was in the basket. Is it duches DULCES? Is it duces duces jam or duces jam founded by Ogua Denzel Ogochuku. How you name how you name your son Denzel? What are you feeling like? And there's Ogua Denzel Ogochuku, who's the founder of Deuces Jam, the Lagos based jam. I think the one that was in our basket was was I think was pineapple flavor. Yeah, pineapple flavor then looks like what inspired Ogua,

Denzel Gochuku. Let me just say Denzel Gochuku, let me remove that Ogua because of this Denzel Washington. So let me hide this guy, Denzel Gochuku. So what got Denzel Gochuku to get into business because he noticed how much fruit goes to waste in Nigeria, seasonal fruit. And look, see, this thing is mad. I'm telling you, mad with a capital MAD. When my brother and I were involved in agricultural business and we were trying to export charcoal, sesame seed and trying to sell soy, we discovered according to the reports that come in from I

can't remember Bengal state something something I can't remember one of one of our agencies back in Bengal state, according to them. And some people say that it is worse because you know that government is inefficient when it comes to keeping records. So according to official sources in Benue State, 90% of tomato production goes to waste in Benue State. For mango, I can't remember, for mango, I can't remember, for oranges, I can't remember.

But for tomato, 90% goes to waste. 90 There is a lot of fruit waste that happens all over the country because value chain, you know, no to no to tap. There's a lady I'm following on LinkedIn. What she does is she they, they have a strawberry farms in Lagos. Sorry, strawberry farms in Jos, they're produced in Jos and then there are manufacturing facilities are based in Lagos. And during the Christmas holiday, she was talking about how because of issues in the value chain, you know, people issues with transport and you know, stuff like that, they had a lot of produce that was going bad because I think it couldn't fly them out on time.

So there's a lot of ways that is in the agricultural value chain in Niger. And so it is good that there are people who are trying to build businesses within this sector. So Denzel Ugochuku is taking advantage of this waste and he's making jam with things that otherwise would have been wasted. Then there are other companies that I've seen on LinkedIn, for instance, who run cold room businesses. So in other words, they say you're producing stuff, whether tomatoes or whatever that normally spoil quick week.

You can be in business with them so that they can produce a cold room for you so that you can store these tomatoes for a while before they are moved. You know, things like that and the people that are getting involved in agricultural value chain. But you can see, like I was saying at the top of the podcast, that there are opportunities for business in different sectors. It doesn't just have to be the easy everyday one that we see because like now everybody wants to do fintech or not everybody wants to do AI.

You do not. Everybody must not do AI. Everybody must not do AI. AI is what is raining. Now. That doesn't mean that you must all do AI. There are other things that we can make money with. Then there's another one that was in the basket. OK, Lim Lim. The company's name is Lim Lim. The founder is Adeola Balogo. She also also into agricultural food processing. OK Yeah. What she does is she produces freeze dried fruits and snacks.

I wonder how you do that Because in my own mind, whenever I hear freeze or whenever I hear dried, I always think of heat. Like you dry the thing out. So I don't know which one is freeze drying. So interesting technology. So she freeze dries our fruits and snacks. So I think what we got in our own basket was dried, dried up pineapples or something like that. And that tasted pretty interesting. And Adeola Bologo, before she started the business, she had leadership roles at Unilever,

leadership roles at Cadbury Nigeria, Unilever. They're the ones that make, what do they make again? I mean like toothpaste and stuff like that. And then Cadbury, of course, Cadbury or no Cadbury, what did they make? Milk born Vita, I think the ones that make you cook me low. I can't remember anyway, but all that kind of stuff. So she has woken. She has say woken. Forgive me. So Adela Bologo has worked with these people before uni level and then Cabri.

So let me move on now. One that we discovered that last year or two years ago and we like every single time we receive this basket from Z Crest Taste of Africa is Dala DALA Dala liquor. And when we say liquor, you know that we're talking about alcohol, alcohol with a capital E now dollar liquor. The first time that we opened the basket and I saw this thing, my mind wanted to bust. I said, what is this? I looked at yes, I showed my wife.

I said please read this label correctly. She laughed. She said, am I saying correctly? She said yes, my dear was incorrectly. This is what they do with dollar liquor. All of us, you know about no more, especially for those of us who grew up in Lagos, I don't like about more quite frankly because well, it tastes nice. But one day, one of my guys bought 1 he gave me. So as I took that bottom one, I squeeze it down there to suck it.

I saw Margot inside. I said the guy just moved the mango through it. When I popped dressed in his mouth, I was like how can you do that? He said that's how it is now. That is normal. Now once in a while you see Margot inside Balumo. So since that day, now in Saint Gregory's College, Bali, since that day, me, I do not touch a balumo, even though The thing is Swedish, kind of sour. But anyway, these boys are dala liquor.

They have found a way to take a balumo IBO people call it udara. They have found a way to take a balumo udara and they have used it to make alcohol with a capital A. The thing blew my mind. Who thought that you can take a baluma and turn it into strong drink? Anyway, that is what those people have done at Dana Liquor. So the first time we received it, my wife and I would say, you know what? Wait, when the children go to bed, then we will baptize this thing.

So we chilled it in the fridge, then we'll put on some Netflix and then we now started sleeping this thing. That thing is sweet die sweet diet, although the alcohol content is high. Oh, so if you are a if you are a lightweight and you're drinking this thing, drink it softly, softly, take it easy. Be seeping, be seeping, seeping, seeping. Don't rush it. It is sweet, but don't rush it because that is strong drink. It is for mature men and mature women.

It's not for anybody. So there's alcoholic and that's why I love dollar liquor. So when we opened a basket this year from Zed Crest and I saw that line inside, I said correct, correct, correct, correct. So we have another one this time, but now my wife is on medication so we can't drink the alcohol. So I just we're just waiting. So when she finished her alcohol chill it now put on Netflix, you know, maybe like a Friday night and then we'll just enjoy ourselves.

We seep until Daybreak. Those are the joys of life. So I was like, so Dalla liqueur now was founded. The founder is Ore Ogunesi. Yes, Ore Ogunesi and the reason why he started the company. Of course, now, you know, wasting the value chain. They wanted to be able to take advantage of abalo more in the product so that it's available all year round. Because like I said when I was talking about the other company, there's so much waste in the system that we create these things.

We don't store them, we don't process them, we don't do value hard, we don't do anything. So a lot of them just waste then. So it says here in the pamphlet that after 2009, after experimenting with different hybrid methods, they were able to come up with a liquor that would capture the sweet and the sour flavor of Abaluma. And that is how Dollar Liquor DALA was born. And the guy behind this madness is Orre Ogunlessi is Ogunlessi Ogunlessi.

I'm not sure. And yeah, that's it. So for me, Dalla liqueur is the absolute star of the Z Quest basket. And I'm waiting for my wife to finish her medication so that we can baptize this drink. Because that Dalla liqueur is mad, I won't lie. It's correct stuff. Good stuff, good stuff. But remember, it is strong drink. Mature people only, even though it tastes sweet, be sipping it softly, softly before you start, before you go man and start dancing on your heads.

Then finally and don't worry, finally, finally, finally there is tea, quad foods that is tea and then QUART. And this lady, basically, she's just an A beans entrepreneur. She does all kinds of things with beans, beans pastes, you know, for mothers and babies in that early stage, Beans, beans, flakes. I think the one that was in our basket is Akara Flakes. Let's see, what else? Any good stuff? Good stuff, real good stuff.

But one reason why I am proud of this one in particular is because for those of you who've been listening to the podcast for a while, you know that I do free mentoring for some organizations. One of those organizations is Faith Foundation in Lagos. They are an NGO that has entrepreneurial development at the back of their their hearts, at the back of their minds. So they keep working on Nigerian entrepreneurs to try and give them the training that they need so that they can grow and scale their businesses.

Now, this lady behind Tea Quad Foods was actually one of my early mentees, excuse me, one of the early people that was supposed to mentor with Faith Foundation. And even then, I knew that she was going to do well and that she was going to do far. That's why I'm going to go far. Now. How I knew that was because when you are assigned a mentor with the Faith Foundation, you are given a choice to ask which kinds of mentor you want.

And honestly, honestly speaking, anybody who goes through this kind of program and asks for a a mentor who has specialty in sales or in marketing, I know that they will go far because these people have their eyes on the ball. They know what matters. They know that it is revenue that matters. So when they are looking for a mentor, they are looking for someone who has expertise with getting the business close to revenue.

And most people during the mentee session, you know, when they first introduce you, you know, everybody will switch off their camera. But for her, I noticed that when she came on, she came on bold, she came on live. She opened the video and she was there and she was ready. And I told her she will go far because lots of people are shy, but she she's not shy. She laughed. He said actually she was a bit nervous. I said no, I understand it's normal, but despite the fact that she was nervous, she showed up and she was ready to go and I

knew that she was going to be go far. So I am not surprised that she was selected by Z Crest. That's not for selected by Z Crest to be here. And I've also done better other people within Faith Foundation as well. Now Faith Foundation have partnered up with the OCI F that's the Orange Corners Innovation Fund. I think there are these the, the NGO from the royal family of is it Denmark or Sweden or whatever. Please, those of you from that part of the world, you know, no Vex, no Vex.

Please don't be annoyed. I'm not very travelled. So I mix up, you know, some things. Yes. I'm one of those people that, you know, when I see an an Indian person and I see a Pakistani person, you know, I wonder what's the difference? Because as far as I'm concerned, you look the same, you sound the same. So don't be angry. So, yeah, I'm one of those Nigerians. I'm not too cultured. So whether Denmark or Sweden or but that Shah OCIF, they've partnered with the Faith Foundation and they offer financial support now to entrepreneurs.

And I've happened to mentor, gosh, I've lost track. I've to mentor lots of people who have come through that program and I've, I've noticed anyway that people, like I said, people who ask for a mentor with sales or marketing expertise, those people are usually revved up and they are ready and ready and willing to go. So I was really happy to see T Quart Foods, TQTQUART. I'm really happy to see that in the Z Crest basket this year.

So my own point of advice to those of you who are going to join, join, what are they called for those who are going to join, Incubators, accelerators, you know, things like that. It would help if you also look towards mentors. I mean, of course, look for the mentor that has specialty in whatever it is that you think you are deficient in, but also help. If you can hold a mentor close to you who also has specialty when it comes to sales and marketing, it will really help.

So anyway, that's it and that's all for today. I know today's zone seemed a little long and windy, but I just wanted to share you guys two things, let you guys know some developments. So this Taste of Nigeria campaign I heard, I can't confirm because I know one or two people who work at the company. So I've heard that this thing is going to become a business exhibition either this year or next year. So for those of you who are based in Lagos, you know, keep your ears open because it will be nice to actually go there and see these things live so that if you have never had fermented Abaluma before, you can go and sip on some fermented Abaluma or this other guy, Pedro's Oguguru.

If you're like me, since when you are small, you've been here Oguguru, you've never seen Oguguru, you'll be able to go to Lagos and be able to sip Oguguru. Well, please before you go, make sure you eat something first. Make sure you have some EBA, preferably before you leave because it is not a good idea to be seeping mature drink on an empty stomach. Please listen if they turn this thing into a food and beverage fare and you go there because you want to sip on fermented abalomo or you want to go and take some nice ogoro, please.

It is not a good idea to be sipping on ogoro when what you eat for breakfast is rice. Make sure you eat amala, make sure you eat food before you go and try that thing. So that's why I'm making today's recording. But primarily I want you guys to know that look, when it comes to business, you can find business like anywhere. Skin care, Ogoro, chocolate, what else? Carpentry. Yes, woodwork was also featured in this one. Carpentry, What else?

Anyway, you had all the different ideas that we have explored so far. Not everybody has to do it do AI because 2025 was year of AI. Everybody was doing AI, startup AI this, AI that, AI that like we don't always have to go with the trends. There are lots of things that we can do. Nigeria is a big country. We have lots of resources, there are plenty and plenty and plenty ideas that we can start. Then it's also nice to see reverse Jack back in in effects,

you know, people who left, but we're coming back to start businesses, start businesses here. But of course, I'm not saying if the time comes to Jack Bar, don't Jack Bar, you know, if the opportunity comes for you and you can afford it, you know, by all means do what you think is best for you and your family. It's just nice to see that not everybody's taking off. There's some people who are coming back. So thank you very much for your time and attention.

Remember, if you'd love to connect with me, you can call, send me a text message or WhatsApp message on 08064662140. Thank you very much for your time and attention. And don't worry, the next episode definitely will be sales related and I'll try and make sure that it's not this long. So that's it. I'll catch you all some other time.