In an effort to help young Nigerians escape poverty, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu created a leadership group that turns them into entrepreneurs. 

Ugwumba Uche Nwosu is the president and founder of the Ugwumba Center for Leadership Development in Africa (UCLDA). He created the program to focus on developing leadership skills, fostering entrepreneurship, and promoting a culture of innovation among African youths.

Based out of Nigeria, Africa’s most populated country and one of its strongest economies, Nwosu says his country has become a hub of entrepreneurship and creativity. He says he wants to help bring out innovation and creativity among the country’s youth. “We have talented Africans, especially the young ones.” 

Nwosu says that while Nigeria’s youth are eager, they need resources and help to start small businesses. The UCLDA also provides mentoring and a pitch competition, in which the most talented young entrepreneurs win cash prizes that can be used to build their companies. 

Nwosu encourages his young entrepreneurs to not chase the typical, and difficult to attain, white-collar jobs, and instead wants them to think outside the box and use their skills to solve problems. “We want to keep them busy.”