The Gathering on 100 made its latest stop in Enugu over the weekend, bringing together hundreds of young Nigerians for a day of networking, fun, entertainment, and business opportunities.

The event, previously held in Lagos and Aba, arrived in Enugu as the city gains recognition as one of Nigeria’s emerging innovation and startup hubs. Recent ecosystem reports rank Enugu among the country’s leading startup cities. The South-East region now accounts for more than half of identified startups across the South-East and South-South, highlighting the region’s growing role in Nigeria’s entrepreneurial landscape.

A major highlight of the Enugu edition was the Pitch-a-thon competition, where three entrepreneurs received a combined ₦5 million in grants to support their business growth. More than 100 entrepreneurs applied for the competition, with 10 finalists selected to pitch before a panel of judges. At the end of the contest, Velas Global Nutrition Limited emerged as the overall winner, securing ₦2.5 million. Werxio, founded by Donatus Prince, received ₦1.5 million, while Whipcare Company was awarded ₦1 million.

These grants address a persistent funding challenge. According to the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the country is home to over 39 million MSMEs, contributing nearly half of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and accounting for about 84 per cent of employment nationwide. Despite this, access to finance remains a significant obstacle to business growth.

For Chizoba Osuji, founder of Velas Global Nutrition Limited, the funding facilitates the expansion of a business built on years of research. Her company processes indigenous crops into shelf-stable blends, supporting nutrition and local women smallholder farmers. “This is motivation to keep making Nigerians healthier through better food,” she remarked, noting the grant will fund semi-automated equipment to increase production capacity to 20 tonnes monthly.

She added that the ₦2.5 million grant would be used to acquire semi-automated equipment capable of increasing production capacity to about 20 tonnes monthly. Beyond increasing output, the expansion is expected to create additional opportunities for women smallholder farmers across the South-East who supply many of the raw materials used by the company.

Speaking on the initiative, MTN’s Regional General Manager (Sales), Callima Inino, represented by Peter Kajovo, said The Gathering on 100 was designed to provide young Nigerians with platforms to connect, learn, showcase their talents and access opportunities that can help them grow.“We want to encourage youths to live their best lives and have fuller expressions of themselves,” he said.

As the Enugu edition concludes, the energy of the South-East’s startup scene remains evident. The Gathering on 100 continues its nationwide tour, connecting more young founders with the visibility and support they need. Stay tuned to discover where the tour will land next as it moves to its next exciting location.

Renewable energy firm Daystar Power Group has expanded its installed solar capacity across West Africa through a partnership with Nestlé, bringing total deployments to 6,884 kilowatt-peak (kWp), or nearly 7 megawatts (MW), in what the company describes as one of the largest commercial and industrial solar partnerships in the region.

Four manufacturing facilities across Nestlé sites in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Senegal are now operational, with installations located in Abidjan, Tema and Dakar.

Daystar Power has installed 3,447 kWp across two sites in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. In Ghana, a 2,547 kWp system powers Nestlé’s Tema factory, while in Senegal an 890 kWp installation operates at the Dakar facility.

The company said each system is designed to deliver measurable environmental impact, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved energy resilience.

The installations are tailored to local operational and grid conditions to ensure reliable renewable energy supply while supporting Nestlé’s net-zero ambitions and its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“Nearly 7MW across four Nestlé facilities is a number we are proud of, but what it represents matters more than the figure itself. It means that one of the world’s most demanding manufacturers has tested our model, trusted it, and come back. Our job now is to keep earning that across every market where industry needs energy it can count on,” said Yischai Beinisch, CEO of Daystar Power Group.

Samer Chedid, CEO of Nestlé Central and West Africa Region, said: “This investment reflects our commitment to building a business that not only grows but does so responsibly.

“By advancing solar energy projects in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, we are embedding sustainability into our growth, reinforcing our role as a force for good, creating long-term value for communities and ensuring that our footprint actively contributes to a cleaner, more resilient future.”

The National Credit Guarantee Company Limited (NCGC) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at supporting access to finance for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria.

The agreement was signed at the NCGC headquarters in Abuja and outlines areas of cooperation between the two agencies, including financial literacy programmes, credit guarantee support, capacity building, and other initiatives targeted at small businesses.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, NCGC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Bonaventure Okhaimo, said the partnership is intended to provide a framework for expanding financing opportunities available to MSMEs.

According to him, small and medium-sized enterprises play a significant role in economic activity and employment generation across the country.

Okhaimo said NCGC has facilitated ₦32.78 billion in credit and provided over ₦13.09 billion in guarantees through its partnerships with financial institutions. He added that 1,478 businesses and entrepreneurs have benefited from the financing interventions, with 1,682 jobs reportedly created or sustained.

Also speaking, SMEDAN Director-General, Charles Odii, said the collaboration would enable the agency to connect more small businesses with available financing opportunities, particularly Nano and Micro enterprises that often face challenges accessing credit.

The two organisations said the partnership would also involve stakeholder engagement and awareness campaigns to provide information on financing options and the use of credit guarantees in lending arrangements.

The agreement forms part of ongoing efforts by both agencies to support enterprise development and improve access to financial services for small businesses across the country.

Observers say access to finance remains one of the major constraints facing Nigerian MSMEs, making collaborations between public institutions an important aspect of broader economic development initiatives.