Entrepreneurship Awards Announced

First place winner Aboubacar Adamou shakes hands with the judges and Minister of Commerce.

A very happy winner – Boulama Issa receives the second honorable mention.

 On April 6, Ambassador Williams hosted Nigerien business leaders and key economic players at her residence for a reception honoring the winners of the Young Entrepreneurs Forum Business Contest and a launch of the American Business Forum.

 The awards ceremony brought to an official close U.S. Embassy Niger’s “Young Entrepreneurs Forum”  and underscored the importance of mentoring as a step to success.  Out of many interesting proposals, the top three ideas and two honorable mentions selected came closest to the core criteria: a solid business plan, sustainability, connection to community, links to mentors, and concept originality. The judging panel, which included Director of Maptech Niger Aissatou Maigagi, President of CAT Logistics Ali Djimba, Ambassador Williams, and the CAO, selected the following five proposals:

 Second Honorable Mention – Seyni Oumarou for Pro-Prosper, a business to recycle plastic bags and clean up the urban environment of Niamey.  Mr. Oumarou received a non-transferable scholarship for one semester of English language study at the American Cultural Center.   First Honorable Mention – Boulama Issa for Credit d’Embouche, a proposal to buy and sell cattle and milk cows.  Mr. Issa received a non-transferable scholarship for one year of English language study at the American Cultural Center.  Third place ($2,000) – Mahamane Moussa Oumarou for Projet BIRD: Business, Irrigation, Research and Development to promote food security through a pilot commercial farming project.  Second Place ($3,000) – Ms. Issoufou Mamane Halilatou for Maison Violet de Galmi, a commercial food project for value-added processing of onions.  First Place ($5,000) – Mr. Aboubakar Adamou for Sahel-Bio Production,  a commercial chicken farm specializing in high quality foods.

 The ceremony closed with Ambassador Williams’ launch of the American-Nigerien Business Forum. The group will target strategies and investment opportunities where American and Nigerien businesses can work together.  Check this space again for more information on the American-Nigerien Business Forum and upcoming events.