A corps graduate with the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM), Samuel Lawal, has won the N1, 000, 000 prize of the Access Bank Business Proposal Pitch Contest called the Lion’s Den.
According to a statement by the director-general of NYSC, Brig-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, the contest, which saw an initial 30-member participants cut down to five finalists, was held in the Multipurpose Hall of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Permanent Orientation Camp in Agwu, Enugu state.
“Ten contestants won various consolation cash prizes, but Lawal who came first won N1, 000,000. The second winner pocketed N700, 000, while the third winner went home with N400, 000. The fourth position and the fifth took N200, 000 and N150, 000, respectively.
“Lawal’s business proposal is to build a voice-controlled solar-powered wheel chair to assist Persons Living With Disability, especially those without legs or arms or both,” the statement read in part.
Speaking to the Orientation Broadcasting Service radio, Lawal sasid the proposed innovation was the product of his undergraduate project which he developed alongside other three FUAM students and colleagues with the mentorship of a UK-based Nigerian.
“The business was inspired by the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act (2018) signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019,” he said.
Meanwhile, the second winner, Bethel Adiukwu, proposed cassava-to-garri business pitch at the contest while Olaloye Israel, second place winner pitched the business benefit of establishing a catfish farm in Nkanu West LGA of Enugu state.
The Lion Den contest which is the brainchild of Access Bank Plc had Comrade Michael King Chieki, a system control engineer with Enugu Electricity Distribution Company; Mr. Ewuzie Surplus Ikem, the Chief Executive Officer of Surikworld Nigeria Limited; Dr Nnaemeka Obiaraeri, the CEO of Taurus Capital and Advisory Services Limited and Kingsley Ojengwa, Regional Sales Manager of Access Bank as judges.
