Over 100 Enugu youths attended a business training organised by Portals Limited, learning key skills for sustainable business success and CEO growth

Over 100 youths from Enugu State participated in a one-day training on sustainable businesses, organised by Portals Limited at the weekend.

The training was part of the ongoing activities for the Impact Tour 2025 Summit, aimed at equipping young people with the necessary skills to start and grow successful businesses.

Patience Oluwatoyin Olusuyi, the founder of Portals Limited, explained that the training aimed to provide startup businesses and CEOs with the systems and structures necessary for running successful enterprises without encountering common pitfalls.

Olusuyi expressed concern over the frequent collapse of businesses, often before or at the death of their founders. She stressed that young entrepreneurs need guidance to overcome challenges that lead to premature business failure.

“From my experience as a legal practitioner who has been in the field for over a decade, I have seen many businesses that we initially register, only to find that they no longer exist after a year or two.

This often happens due to legal challenges, financial issues, and the absence of proper structures to enable business growth,” Olusuyi shared with the participants.

A key issue identified during the training was the challenge of staff recruitment and retention, a problem that particularly affects businesses in Nigeria.

Olusuyi posed the question, “Why should businesses die prematurely?” and stated that the focus should be on finding solutions from the foundation.

To address these issues, Portals Limited has developed an acronym “MEAN” — Mentorship, Education, Accountability, and Network — as a framework to support young CEOs and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Olusuyi urged young business owners to gain experience by joining established companies or businesses, where they can learn the ropes and apply practical knowledge before venturing into their own entrepreneurial journeys.

She emphasized the importance of mentorship and education in ensuring accountability and propelling businesses forward.

In an interview with *The Guardian*, Olusuyi further explained that her organisation helps guide young people through proper education, connects them with various opportunities, such as government grants, and supports their growth through mentorship.

She announced that at the upcoming Convergence Africa event in Abuja on April 25, three exceptional CEOs who have excelled in the mentorship programme across the 10 states Portals Limited has visited will be awarded grants to help further their business ambitions.

Motivational speaker Chukwuma Okenwa, who also participated in the training, highlighted the importance of personal accountability and legal compliance in ensuring business survival.

“We are here to discuss how young business owners can thrive in business, be able to pay themselves, and navigate challenges. We also emphasised the need for legal compliance to avoid untimely business extinction,” Okenwa noted.

The training was part of an ongoing effort to build a network of successful young business leaders who are well-equipped to face the challenges of entrepreneurship.

Portals Limited continues its mission to mentor and guide young people, providing them with the tools and resources needed to succeed in business and contribute to the economic development of Nigeria.