Ecobank Nigeria CEO advises graduates to go into agric, day-to-day use products

Nigerian tertiary institutions’ graduates aspiring to go into business have been advised to go into agriculture, food, telecommunications and finance related businesses that have day-to-day use.

Patrick Akinwuntan, the managing director, Ecobank Nigeria, gave the advice in an address to graduands of Babcock University, Illishan Remo, on Thursday.

In addition, the Ecobank Nigeria boss said they should also consider businesses that will enable them to scale or grow without much additional capital such as Uber, Netflix, Tiktok.

“The basic values of punctuality, respect, humility, diligence, integrity have become rare in the business environment. Do not take these for granted. Keep them and you will be better for it.”m he said.

He stressed the importance for young Nigerian graduates to be digitally savvy, imbibe uncommon integrity, deep insights, accountability and excellence to be able to compete in the new world order. According to him, this fast-paced and COVID-19 impacted world, only those who are responsive to change and able to learn, unlearn and relearn that will survive.

“Our world faces many opportunities and challenges ranging from spiritual, economic, political, social to technological. Concepts, identities, institutions and their definitions are being challenged daily. You must, therefore, bring into our unfolding world, uncommon integrity, deep insights, accountability, excellence, servant leadership, creativity and a never-give-up spirit that truly creates a new, better world. Also, you must be digitally savvy to compete effectively notwithstanding what you studied here”.

He also gave a word of advice to those of them who would be seeking employment, urging them to have the DNA of an employer. “It may come across as a paradox, but an employer DNA seeks to add value while an employee DNA seeks to collect salaries. Note the huge difference.”

While congratulating the graduands, he told them to ready imbibe integrity and play by the right rules always, to make positive difference in any sphere, adding that “God has granted you a moral compass and a conscience that speaks loudly when you are doing the wrong thing. In other words, remember the child of whom you are. You must therefore always act with integrity if you are to be the positive difference.”
“You must draw from your formation, inner-self, and live by your values, vision and passion. Your attitude and perspective to changing realities is critical to achieving excellence, success and enduring impact.”