By Chinenye Anuforo
Lagos State First Lady, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has emphasised the importance of collaboration in impacting vulnerable members of communities in Lagos State and the country at large. She made this known at the Exhibition and Trade Fair for SMEs, hosted by MTN Nigeria on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, as part of activities for its ongoing Y’ello Care initiative.
Speaking on the dedication and commitment of MTNers to impact their community, Her Excellency, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu said, “It is commendable that since the inception of this campaign 16 years ago, MTN employees have seized the opportunity to volunteer to participate in social impact initiatives specifically targeted at positively impacting the youths, women and the differently abled people in communities in Lagos and across the country.”
In line with this year’s theme, ‘Empowering entrepreneurs to unlock growth and job creation for communities’, she highlighted that “It is a statement of fact that entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises are the real engine of growth. No government or society worth its salt will attempt to joke with this sector on account of the important role it plays in creating jobs and solving the challenges confronting the people. For me, all hands must continue to be on deck to combine forces to support entrepreneurs and help them to grow bigger, better and bolder. MTN employees have done well with the Y’ello Care initiative and it behooves other corporate entities to take a cue and adapt similar programmes to complement the efforts of the government by reaching out to this sector.”
Also speaking at the event, Chief Human Resources Officer, Esther Akinnukawe, said, “It’s our 16th year of Y’ello Care and it is exciting to see MTNers committed to ensuring that we give our best to our communities. At MTN, we prioritise the development of SMEs and this year we are focusing on leveraging skills, digital and financial tools to drive growth among entrepreneurs through the theme ‘Empowering Entrepreneurs to Unlock Growth and Job Creation for Communities’. With today’s exhibition and trade fair we are providing entrepreneurs with a chance to showcase their business value and this is just one among the many other activities happening this year.”
The Exhibition and Trade Fair featured more than 50 businesses that sold products and services ranging from ready to wear adire clothing to skincare products made from naturally sourced ingredients and various cash crops, amongst other. The Exhibition is part of activities lined up for the ongoing Y’ello Care initiative championed by MTN employees.