The Nasir Giwa Mentoring Conference 5.0, held on October 3, 2026, at D'Podium Event Centre in Ikeja, Lagos, emphasized the importance of mentorship in career growth and national development. Professionals were urged to deliberately mentor younger colleagues, share knowledge, and create opportunities for their growth. The conference marked the 10th anniversary of the Nasir Giwa Mentoring Platform, which has grown from four mentees to over 400.
The conference featured two business pitch competitions, the Dare Nigeria Challenge and the NGM Afropreneur SME Pitch, designed to support young entrepreneurs and innovators with practical solutions to societal problems. The Dare Nigeria Challenge awarded ₦10 million to four finalists, while the NGM Afropreneur SME Pitch rewarded four winners with ₦5.5 million and ₦500,000 consolation prizes to four other finalists.
Founder and Grand Mentor of the Nasir Giwa Mentoring Platform, Engr Nasir Giwa, urged Muslim professionals to create mentoring networks and help younger people avoid difficulties they encountered early in their careers. Giwa shared his experience of struggling to secure professional placement after graduating as an engineer and emphasized the importance of visibility, making oneself available, and accessible in career growth.
Keynote Speaker, Russell Rogers, from the United States, encouraged young Nigerians to identify meaningful areas of interest, develop themselves, and contribute to solving societal problems. Rogers, CEO of Adaptive, emphasized the responsibility of young people to respond to challenges such as climate change and geopolitical problems.
Kola Adeshina, speaking on the Dare Nigeria Challenge, challenged young Nigerians to identify problems around them and turn their abilities into solutions that create value. Adeshina emphasized the need for young people to develop their skills, character, competence, and discipline while paying attention to problems and opportunities within their communities.
The Dare Nigeria Challenge attracted 81 entries, with four finalists emerging to pitch their ideas before judges and the audience. Fathia Mojeed of Quida, Ayisat Adamu of Rekool Access Box, Henry Lamba of ReinLight, and Mubarak Mustapha of AceMax received prizes ranging from ₦1.5 million to ₦4 million. The competition was conceived by Adeshina to promote creativity, innovation, and courage among young entrepreneurs.
The NGM Afropreneur SME Pitch Competition, funded by a ₦100 million multiyear pledge from Afropreneur and Verraki Partners, produced four winners. Safyarn Craft, Scholar Tutors Online Tutorials, Fitire Design, and UniVee and Leathers received prizes ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦2.5 million. Experts stressed the importance of problem-solving, knowledge transfer, and mentorship in career growth and national development.
Key points
- Mentorship is crucial for career growth and national development.
- Young entrepreneurs and innovators were awarded prizes for their practical solutions to societal problems.
- Experts emphasized the importance of problem-solving, knowledge transfer, and visibility in career growth.
