As was first announced at StartupAfrica, Nigeria is hosting The Youth Entrepreneurship Award 2008, as part of the Global Entrepreneurship Week activity which holds from November 17 - 23. The award is designed to lift the spirit of entrepreneurship, engage and encourage young people to pursue entrepreneurial ideas with the support of entrepreneurs, government officials, non-profit leaders and educators.

What is YEA?

The Youth Entrepreneurship Awards is a local initiative to inspire young people and organizations in Nigeria to embrace innovation, imagination and creativity. The awards category include the following:

1. YOUTH AMBASSADOR FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT AWARD
2. AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
3. STUDENT COMPANY OF THE YEAR AWARD
4. ENTREPRENEURSHIP LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
5. RISING ENTREPRENEURIAL INSTITUTION AWARD
6. BEST SUPPORTING MEDIA ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARD
7. ASPIRING YOUNG ENTERPRISE SCHOLARSHIP MERIT AWARD
8. OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT AWARD
9. YOUNG CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARD
10. BEST SUPPORTING COMPANY ON UNIVERSITY ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION CAMPAIGN AWARD
11. BEST SUPPORTING YOUTH BANK OF THE YEAR AWARD

How To Participate

All youth Entrepreneurship award recipients must be nominated by other people. However one can nominate him/herself or an institution/organisation. Nominee submission deadline is November 5th 2008.

The event will feature the opening address by Prof. Uche Azikwe, MFR, Wife of Nigeria’s first President; Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe. The awards is scheduled to hold at the New Castle Hotels, Owerri, Imo state (Near Imo House of Assembly) on November 21st, 2008.

The entrepreneurship event is organised by London-based Withworth Entrepreneurship Consultancy in partnership with the Centre of Entrepreneurship and Development Research at the University of Nigeria.

You can also visit www.entrepreneurshipevents.com for more information and registration details.

(Thanks to Ismail at StartupAfrica.com for the scoop)