Renowned entrepreneur and global business advocate, Dr. Summy Smart Francis, has announced a fully funded international business trip for selected entrepreneurs from Ondo State, Nigeria.
The beneficiaries will attend the Global Entrepreneurship Festival (GEF) – the world’s largest gathering of entrepreneurs, scheduled to take place in Ghana from November 21 to 23, 2025.
This initiative marks a bold step toward empowering emerging business leaders in the region.
Describing the opportunity as “life-changing,” Dr. Francis emphasized his goal to uplift local entrepreneurs through strategic exposure, global impact, and professional elevation.
“I’m empowering some entrepreneurs in Ondo State with an opportunity of a lifetime, their first-ever international trip to attend a global event. This is about exposure to new ideas, access to global networks, and raising the bar of excellence,”
The Global Entrepreneurship Festival is a flagship international event that brings together thousands of entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, startup founders, ecosystem builders, and thought leaders from around the world. It offers a dynamic platform for networking, learning, collaboration, and visibility for Africa’s most promising business minds.
Dr. Francis is the founder of Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs (A.Y.E.), the continent’s foremost entrepreneurship organization.
He has served as Special Adviser to the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, and currently serves as Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
As Chairman of the Ondo State Entrepreneurship Agency (ONDEA), he continues to play a pivotal role in promoting, educating, and empowering young entrepreneurs across Ondo State and the wider African continent.
With this latest initiative, Dr. Francis reinforces his commitment to entrepreneurship as a catalyst for sustainable economic growth and youth transformation.
Interested entrepreneurs from Ondo State are invited to apply via the official link: www.summysmartfrancis.com/empowerment.
The selection process will be transparent and competitive, with a focus on individuals who demonstrate strong business potential, a track record of impact, and a hunger for global growth.
Through this bold move, Dr. Summy Smart Francis once again affirms his belief in the power of strategic exposure to unlock greatness among African entrepreneurs..
