Start something, stop waiting for govt – PH women entrepreneurs

Detailed summary

Women entrepreneurs seem to grow weary of feeding young men and women who keep living idle lives with the excuse ...

Women entrepreneurs seem to grow weary of feeding young men and women who keep living idle lives with the excuse of waiting for government jobs.

Now, the women have given marching order counsel the youths to start something and stop waiting for the government.

To help push the youths and women, a proactive woman entrepreneur has initiated a regular trade fair gleefully termed ‘Awoof Fair Pitakwa Series’. And, over 100 small business owners, predominantly women and young entrepreneurs, showcased their products and services at the November 2026 edition of the fair.

Participants have however called on the government and private sector leaders to invest in small businesses and create more opportunities for women and youths.

The two-day trade fair, organised at New GRA section of Port Harcourt, provided a platform for entrepreneurs to promote their brands, attract customers, network and sell their products at discounted prices amid prevailing economic challenges.

Speaking on the initiative, Mandy Ogolo, the chief organiser, said the fair was established to provide small business owners with visibility and opportunities to expand their businesses beyond their immediate communities.

Ogolo said the initiative had continued to grow through five editions, with its activities organised twice yearly, during Easter and the Christmas season.

According to her, participating vendors were required to pay for stalls, after which they were encouraged to publicise their participation and take advantage of the platform to attract customers.

The essence, she said, is to bring more people into business and bring down prices and boost sales. This she said is reason and concept of ‘awoof’.

Opening of the article, excerpted from BusinessDay. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.