Nestlé Nigeria has renewed its commitment to building sustainable ecosystems that empower young Nigerians to transform their innovative ideas into viable businesses.
The consumer goods giant made the pledge during the National Youth Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Summit (YEEP 2026), which took place on Sunday, July 12, 2026, in Abuja. Organized by the Activate Success International Foundation (ASIF), the event marked the ninth consecutive year of the conference and celebrated an ongoing eight-year partnership between Nestlé and the foundation.
Speaking at the summit under the theme “Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Courage and Impact,” Nestlé Nigeria’s Head of Corporate Communications, Public Affairs, and Sustainability, Victoria Uwadoka, emphasized that youth empowerment is central to the company’s contribution to national development.
Uwadoka noted that the conference’s focus is critical given that young people make up over 70 percent of Nigeria’s population. She described entrepreneurship as one of the most viable paths toward tackling unemployment and unlocking long-term economic growth.
”Your ideas are only ideas until you bring them to life,” Uwadoka told the gathering of young entrepreneurs. “Money, support, and finances flow to solutions. If you have an idea today that meets needs and improves lives, that is an idea that is worth investing in.”
Uwadoka lauded the founder of Activate Success International Foundation, Mrs. Love Idoko-Uloko, for her eleven years of dedication to youth enterprise development. She also recognized the collaborative support of government bodies and financial technology partners, including Flutterwave, who are actively building the digital infrastructure needed to support modern youth-led ventures.
Through its global initiative, Nestlé Needs YOUth, Nestlé Nigeria continues to deploy resources across the country via mentorship programs, vocational schemes, and technical training hubs to ensure that corporate support remains accessible to the next generation of Nigerian innovators.
