As the maiden edition of Life Continental Lager Beer’s Progress Booster Radio Show prepares to go live on air, young entrepreneurs of South-East extraction are sending their entries in torrents. Life Continental Lager Beer, a lager beer brand from the rich brands stable of Nigerian Breweries Plc., initiated the N12.5 million worth talent enhancement and empowerment competition to encourage and enhance the dreams of budding and talented businessmen and women within the South-East.

While inaugurating the innovative entrepreneurial talent hunt radio show in Onitsha recently, Emma Agu, the Marketing Manager (Lager & Stout), Nigerian Breweries Plc., stated that Progress Booster is meant to reward consumers in the South East market where life continental beer pioneered regional brewing and has maintained leadership of the region’s booming market. “The project is Life Beer’s own way of reconnecting and rejuvenating the illustrious and enterprising spirit the average Igbo is known for. Progress Booster is not just coming to recognize the undying adventurous spirit of the Igbo and the average will to not just survive, but succeed in everything he/she does, the project is a celebration of the of the essential Igbo spirit of industry, will to succeed, enterprise and passion in the world of business,” he said.

Agu added that the invention of Progress Booster by Life Continental Lager Beer is a reinforcement of the heritage embedded in the Life Continental Lager Beer, its essence, connection and affinity with the people and heritage of South-East. “Life defines the Igbo in every Igbo consumer. That’s our beer. It was Life Beer that gave the Igbo the sense of ownership for the first in Nigeria’s brewing history. Every Igbo beer consumer and aspiring beer consumers has a heritage tied to Life Continental Lager Beer. It is the beer that has taken care of the needs of the Igbo from time immemorial,” he enthused. According to him, young, ambitious and entrepreneurial youths from the South-East, aged 18 and above with great business ideas are qualified to enter the competition. All that is required of aspiring entrepreneurs willing to participate is to write their business ideas and send it to any of the designated addresses on the back of the fliers that are currently circulating in major cities, towns and villages in the South-East. Also, prospective contestants must be native or resident in the South East and must have good knowledge of Igbo language and be ‘ready for progress’ to enter the competition for a chance to win N250, 000 to start a business.

More importantly, he noted that contestants’ business proposal could be on trading, handicraft, small scale manufacturing and provision of social services, which must have ways of yielding money and pulling the recipients of the cash grant out of poverty to being employer of labour later on. Agu disclosed further that the show will be airing on popular radio stations in the South-East including Owerri, Imo State-based Hot 99.5 FM, Odenigbo 99.1 FM in Obosi, Anambra State; Magic FM in Aba, Abia State and Enugu, Enugu State-based 92.5 Solid FM among others.
Young entrepreneurs willing to enter for the competition are advised to submit their entries at any of the following addresses nearest to them. In Enugu zone, Bufa Investment Company Ltd, 158A, Agbani Rd., Enugu, J.C. Onoh & Co. Ltd., Plot 192 Ezinato L/O 9th Mil, Nsude, Hilton Park & Resort, No. 64 Asuke Drive, Off Nike Lake Rd., Enugu, Augustus A. Nwodo & Sons, 400, Agbani Road, Gariki, Enugu, Prinwat Ventures, Annunciation Junction, Enugu-Abakaliki Exp/way, Emene, De Pine Bar, 137 Chime Avenue, New Haven, Enugu, G. A Dike, 5 Orlu Street, Abakaliki, Emma Star, 26 New Market Rd., Abakaliki, Dennis Avenue, 11 Obike Street, Abakaliki, Udondu Ventures, 23 Okigwe Rd., Amasiri, Global SNCO W/A Ltd., 43 Ndi Ibe Beach Rd., Afikpo, Embassy Beer Parlour, Amuro Town Hall, Afikpo, Ifekwesi Ventures, 42 Obollo Rd., Orba, Ojpkapeh Investment, 9 Japan Rd., Ogurute, Enugu-Ezike, Linco Bar, 104 Enugu Rd., (by Linco Filing State), Nsukka, Iloks Trading Co. Ltd, ROI Filling Station, Orji River, Jennymond Systems Ltd., Ozalla Rd., Udi and Paradize Spot, Achi Road Orji.
Contestants in Onitsha area are advised to submit their entries at any of the following collection points: C. N. Anyoha & Sons Ltd, 1 Owerri Rd., Onitsha, Louis Chioka & Sons Nig. Ltd., 26 Uzo John Rd., Ojoto, Old Oba Area, J. O. Omonuju Beer Parlour, 150 Atani Rd., Iyiowa Odekpe, (by Niger River), Innovation Era Nig. Ltd., 395 Ziks Avenue, Amaenyi, Ring Road, Aguawka, Ken Maduakor Group, Nig. Ltd., Author Eze Rd., (opposite Choice Hotel) Awaka, Fayrouz Chill Out, Amansea Rd., Ifite (back of Unizik school gate), Patrick Telford & Co Ltd., 1 Peter Ezeli Drive, Nkolofia, Awka Etiti, Ginika Stores, Km 1, Osuochi Rd., Umunze, Chicken Bus Stop, Ifite Road/Nnobi Allor Road, Ourline Ltd., 40/42 New Cementary Rd., Onitsha (by MCC, close to NITEL), Emack Integrated Resources, Magazine Rd., GRA, Onitsha, 80 Degrees Kitchen & Bar, 80 Port Harcourt Rd., Nathan Ofoma & Sons, Km 11 Enugu-Onitsha Exp/way, Ogbunike, Nkpor/Onitsha, EM Petroleun, Old Enugu-Awka Rd., Iyenu Abagana, Njikoka LGA., Picallili Bite and Licks, Our Line Bus stop, Enugu Onitsha Express-way, Ken Maduakor Group Ltd., Km 131 Onitsha-Owerri Exp/way (opposite Ihala Police station) Nnewi/Ihala, Ifejiofor and Sons Ltd, No. 48 Park Road Uruagu Nnewi and Corporate House Bar, 92 Owerri Road, Nnewi.

Aspiring entrepreneurs in Aba and Owerri area are requested to submit their entries in any of the following collection points: Jekok Nigeria Ltd., Enugu-Port Harcourt Exp/Way, Osisioma, Cee Dabaa Inn Joint, 113 Aba-Owerri Road, Osisioma, Ukwumango Spot, 26 Opobo Road, Osisioma, Esopenco Int Ltd, 11 Aba Road, Umuahia, Avutu Trading and Transport, 23 Uwalaka Street, Umuahia, J.O. Ngumoha & Sons, 25 Owerri Road, Orlu, S.O. Nnawuba, Opposite Fote Filling Station Osha–Owerri Road Irete, Orlu, Chi Chi Restaurant, Umunze Junction, Nwaorie Ubi Mbaitoli, Orlu, Nze Edmund Nze, Lobo Street, Owerri, Marcellinus & Brothers, Imenrienwe, Ngor Okpala, Owerri, Immaculate Beverages Ltd., 23 Chukwuma Nwaoba Rd., Off MCC Rd., Owerri, J.C Moghalu & Sons Nig. Ltd, 94, Market Road, Aba, Oby Turning Point, 63, Port Harcourt Road Aba, Chez Nous, 2, Obehie Street, Off Calabar Street, Aba, ND & NK Investment, 68 Owerri Road, Okigwe, J.O, Akushie & Sons, Afor Enyiogugu Market, Mbaise, Okigwe, and Glopet Resort, Aba Branch, Ehime Mbano, Okigwe.

The Life Progress Booster Radio Show is targeted at empowering budding entrepreneurs that have submitted sound and workable business proposals to be adjudged by a panel of experts and successful business moguls from the South-East.
While commending the enthusiasm of young men and women who have submitted entries for the project so far, Agu added that the young and aspiring entrepreneurs from the South East who will be competing for various prizes will be challenges to draw on their Igbo heritage of doggedness, industry, enterprise and progress as a people, to conceive, package and present business ideas to a carefully selected panel of judges made up of successful business owners and entrepreneurs, accomplished professionals and academics, especially of Igbo extraction.

“The Life Booster project is a reinforcement of the heritage embedded in the Life Continental Lager Beer, its essence and connection with the South-East consumers,’’ he adding that the project is “Life Beer’s own way of reconnecting and rejuvenating the illustrious and enterprising spirit the average Igbo is known for… The project is a celebration of the of the essential Igbo spirit of industry, will to succeed, enterprise and passion in the world of business,” he said.