Lagos First Lady Applauds MTN For Hosting 50 SMEs

The first lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu has applauded MTN Nigeria for holding a bazaar and trade fair for small and medium enterprises at its corporate head office in Ikoyi, Lagos as part of the ongoing annual MTN employee volunteerism initiative – 21 Days of Y’ello Care.

The exhibition which held yesterday was attended by Mrs. Sanwo-Olu, the first lady of Lagos State, had more than 50 local entrepreneurs who showcased their products to enthusiastic MTN employees and guests.

Expressing her delight, the First Lady of Lagos State, said “It is my pleasure to be here today for an initiative that I consider a solid example of sustained positive impact within our communities – MTN’s 21 days of Y’ello Care driven by MTN staff. I find it particularly gratifying that this year’s programme is shining a spotlight on SMEs.

“I applaud the Lagos State officials, MTN partners, SMEs, MTN Board, Management and staff, and all other stakeholders present here today for driving and facilitating this noble cause,” she added.

Speaking earlier, the chief human resources officer, MTN Nigeria, Esther Akinnukawe said, “This is the 16th year of our signature volunteer initiative designed to impact lives and communities around us. This year, we are ‘Empowering Entrepreneurs to Unlock Growth and Job Creation for Communities’ with a focus on leveraging skills, digital and financial tools to drive growth among entrepreneurs.

“In special focus are our women, youth, and people living with disabilities.

We assure all our stakeholders that we remain unrelenting in our efforts to empower entrepreneurs and uplift communities in Lagos and across the country.”

The event also featured a Y’ello Den Pitch-A-Thon in partnership with the Bank of Industry, for business owners to pitch their business expansion plans to qualify for financial and tech support from MTN Nigeria.

Launched in 2007, Y’ello Care seeks to inspire MTN employees, encouraging them to actively contribute their resources (time, financial, and skill set) to community development. Since June 1, 2023, MTN employees have trained SMEs owners, particularly persons with disabilities (PWDs), across Nigeria on financial literacy and digital skills whilst providing them with financial support.