The next generation of entrepreneurs may not emerge from boardrooms alone—they could just as easily come from primary and secondary school classrooms, where children are encouraged to identify problems and create solutions from an early age.
That is the idea behind the Future Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Challenge, a competition sponsored by Dufil Prima Foods, makers of Indomie, which will award five children between the ages of seven and 18 fully sponsored places at the Teesas Summer School Startup.
The initiative seeks to address the broader issue of early exposure to entrepreneurship, problem-solving and leadership skills for Nigerian children.
Education stakeholders have increasingly raised concerns about the limited opportunities for practical, innovation-focused learning outside the regular school curriculum.
The competition requires interested children to submit a 60-second video explaining how they would solve a challenge in their immediate environment.
According to the organisers, the objective is to encourage children to think critically about real-life problems and propose creative solutions rather than present fully developed business plans.
“The goal is not to have a perfect business plan; instead, judges want to hear original ideas and understand how children think about solving real-world challenges,” the centre’s Growth Manager, Gladys Osime, said.
Osime explained that participants could focus on challenges in education, healthcare, environmental sustainability, technology, transportation and community development.
She added that the challenge forms part of efforts to make entrepreneurship and innovation learning accessible to children who may not otherwise have the opportunity to participate.
The Teesas Summer School Spark 2.0 is an intensive programme designed to introduce children to leadership, entrepreneurial thinking and technology skills.
Organisers said the programme will also build participants’ confidence, strengthen their communication skills and expose them to practical approaches for identifying problems and developing solutions.
Speaking on the partnership, Indomie Brand Manager, Ibrahim Isah, said the sponsorship is intended to nurture creativity and innovation from an early age.
“We believe every great innovation begins with a simple idea and the courage to bring it to life. We are proud to support a platform that encourages young minds to think creatively, solve real-life problems, and develop the confidence to become tomorrow’s leaders and innovators,” Isah said.
Education stakeholders believe initiatives such as the programme can help bridge gaps in the current education system, where entrepreneurship and technology education are often introduced much later despite the growing demand for digital, creative and problem-solving skills.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.