By Our Reporter
Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, of Ondo State has unveiled the Lucky Light Initiative, a phased intervention aimed at providing reliable, clean and affordable solar electricity to 1,000 small businesses across the state’s 18 local government areas.
Aiyedatiwa unveiled the initiative on Saturday at the 2026 Ondo State Entrepreneurship Agency (ONDEA) Entrepreneurs Summit held at the International Centre for Culture and Events (The Dome), Igbatoro Road, Akure.
The summit, themed “The New Ondo: Positioning Entrepreneurs for Emerging Opportunities,” provided a platform for discussions on entrepreneurship, innovation and emerging economic opportunities.
The governor described the Lucky Light Initiative as an economic intervention rather than a household electrification scheme, stressing that electricity was a critical component of production costs for small businesses.
He explained that rising energy costs translated into higher production expenses, adding that the initiative would commence in 2026 with businesses supported in batches before subsequent phases expand coverage across the state.
Aiyedatiwa also announced the recognition of 20 entrepreneurs whose ideas distinguished them during the ONDEA My IDEA screening and selection process.
According to him, the beneficiaries would receive funding and business support packages, alongside opportunities for further development, exposure and mentorship.
He urged the beneficiaries to use the opportunity responsibly, build sustainable businesses, create employment, pay their taxes and mentor others.
The governor said the true return on government investment was not merely the success of one entrepreneur but the number of lives that entrepreneur could positively influence.
Speaking on his administration’s economic vision, Aiyedatiwa said entrepreneurship had moved beyond simply starting businesses to identifying problems, creating solutions, adopting technology, building sustainable enterprises and competing beyond immediate environments.
He noted that the global economy, markets and technology were changing, stressing that Ondo State must adapt by diversifying its economy and creating an environment where entrepreneurship, innovation and businesses could thrive.
The governor identified agriculture and agro-processing, cocoa and other cash crops, tourism, the blue economy, oil and gas, solid minerals, technology, renewable energy, creative industries, manufacturing, logistics and export-oriented businesses as key areas of opportunity.
He said his administration was focused on moving the state from merely producing raw materials to processing, packaging, branding and exporting value-added products.
Aiyedatiwa further explained that the government was developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem that would connect ideas to skills, skills to businesses, businesses to finance and businesses to markets, with ONDEA playing a strategic role.
He said the agency was supporting entrepreneurs with business registration, formalisation, skills acquisition, training, equipment and other forms of business support.
The governor also promised to purchase shares in the Dangote Group of Companies for 500 young entrepreneurs in Ondo State as part of efforts to expose them to investment opportunities and promote wealth creation.
In his keynote address, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, represented by his Special Adviser, Toba Oyedele, said entrepreneurs would play a central role in the Federal Government’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
Oyedele urged entrepreneurs in Ondo State to prepare for emerging opportunities and transform economic reforms, innovation and investment into sustainable businesses, employment and economic growth.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Investment, Dr Summy Smart Francis, urged young entrepreneurs to stop waiting for opportunities and deliberately pursue them.
Francis identified clarity, discipline and velocity, which he described as speed in the right direction, as essential requirements for successful entrepreneurship.
He encouraged entrepreneurs to develop clear visions and work backwards from their desired future rather than merely expressing wishes without definite action plans.
Francis disclosed that ONDEA had established a WhatsApp group and adopted a 48-hour response system for letters to improve the agency’s responsiveness.
He described the summit as the largest gathering of entrepreneurs in Nigeria and said its theme aligned with Governor Aiyedatiwa’s seven-point OUR EASE Agenda, which he said was designed to create an enabling environment for citizens, businesses and investors.
Also speaking, media entrepreneur and former Managing Director of TVC Entertainment, Morayo Afolabi-Brown, called for greater investment across the Southwest, stressing that the region possessed significant economic opportunities beyond Lagos.
She advocated broader economic development across the region, noting that the concentration of economic activities in Lagos should give way to more inclusive growth in other parts of the Southwest.
The governor appreciated the summit’s organisers, partners, private-sector stakeholders, trainers, mentors, judges and others who contributed to the programme.
In attendance were the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; Head of Service, Chief Olusegun Odusanya; members of the State Executive Council and other political appointees.
