Former Ecobank CEO to address entrepreneurs’ summit

Former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of EcoBank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan, will lead seasoned financial experts to address the issues affecting the small and medium enterprises in the country.

In a press statement by Chairman Publicity Committee, Chika Izuora, Akinwuntan has confirmed to chair the 20th annual lecture and 29th anniversary of the Catholic Brothers United of the St. Agnes Catholic Church Maryland, Lagos, with Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo state as chief guest of honour.

Chairman of the conference organising committee, Gabriel Akumhegie, said the theme of the conference, ‘Entrepreneurship Drive: A Tool for Mitigating Unemployment for National Growth, was apt given the declining growth of the country’s production sector.

According to Akumhegie, the programme scheduled to be held on the 22nd of October was appropriate given the outlook of Nigeria’s employment conditions for the third quarter of this year which dropped to the lowest in nearly three years on the back of petrol subsidy removal and naira devaluation.

Citing the latest aggregate Manufacturers’ CEOs Confidence Index of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, he said, employment conditions for July-September, 2023 deteriorated below the 50 benchmark points to 46.6 points from 47.8 points in the previous quarter.