[Interview] Engr. Ebenezer Isokariari, Managing Director, Eben UK Resources, Nigeria
Ebenezer Isokariari started his training, recruitment and consulting company in Port Harcourt, Nigeria following a Master’s Degree Program and professional career in Scotland, UK.
His interview with Africa Business Communities:
Would you please introduce Eben UK Resources?
Eben UK Resources Ltd is a Training, Consulting, Recruitment and Project Management Company. Our mission is to address that ugly issue of unemployment in Nigeria by training youths and equipping them with skills that will enable them get employed and play an active role in assisting them secure employment.
Eben UK Resources is an accredited training provider of the American Academy of Project Management Certification Courses in Nigeria and West Africa.
We are also the official representative of the Project Control Academy (USA) in Africa.
In which industries does Eben UK Resources operate and who are your clients?
Eben UK Resources services are relevant to the Oil and Gas Industry, Construction, Project Management and the IT Industry.
Our clients include mainly students, corpers, job seekers, workers and oil and gas professionals.
What are the USP’s of your business?
We take the quality of our services very seriously. All our trainings measure to international standards. Most training companies train clients and issue certificates. We go a step further by playing an active role in ensuring that our trainees seeking employment actually secure an employment appropriate to their certification and training.
What did you do before starting Eben UK Resources?
On completion of my Master’s Degree Program in Aberdeen, I worked for a Recruitment Consulting firm that specialized in supplying manpower to the UK construction industry. I worked on several projects in various parts of Scotland and gained a lot of work experience before I returned home to Nigeria to set up Eben UK Resources.
What can be done by entrepreneurs and government to stimulate the business environment in Nigeria?
In Nigeria a lot of people have fantastic business ideas but are constrained by little or no startup capital. If the government can find a way to assist entrepreneurs with business grants or loans with reasonably low interest rates, a lot of businesses will thrive in Nigeria.
The government also needs to stabilize power in Nigeria. The cost of running generators daily adds a great deal to the operating costs of most businesses, thereby crippling profit margins.
Established entrepreneurs could also assist young entrepreneurs by giving them a platform to advance their business through entrepreneurship development programs. They can also assist by providing young entrepreneurs with startup capital. I am particularly impressed with what the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the African Young Entrepreneurs (AYE) Organization are doing in this regard.
Why should anyone start a business in Africa?
Being a developing continent, Africa is a fertile ground for various types of business. All you have to do is come up with a good business idea, source for funds, set up your team, put your infrastructure in place and implement your ideas.
If you are creative, have funds, are passionate about your goals and have the right team, the chance of succeeding in Africa is very high. You will probably face a handful of challenges, but with the right attitude, dedication and passion, success is certain.
What can you say about the targets, plans and ambitions of Eben UK Resources for the rest of 2015?
Eben UK Resources is looking to partner with more international training institutes. We are also looking to partner with the government at all levels before the end of 2015 to enable us take our training programs to the nooks and crannies of Nigeria.
Also, we recently concluded a Youth Empowerment Program for Living Faith Church, Winners Chapel, Elimbgu, Port Harcourt. We intend to carry out Youth Empowerment training programs for more churches (with particular interest in their youths) in Nigeria before the end of 2015 and beyond.
Do you believe Social Media and the Internet to be a plus to the business environment, as it applies to your industry?
Social Media and the Internet is a plus to all types of business generally. The cost of advertising on social media is quite low compared to other traditional ways of advertising.
Today, lots of people have access to the internet 24 hours a day. A lot of people also access the internet via their mobile devices, so any company or business that doesn't have internet presence in today's world should start thinking in that direction.
www.linkedin.com/pub/eben-jnr-isokariari
www.ebenukresources.blogspot.nl
Africa Business Communities is conducting a series of interviews with CEO's and high-end professionals in Africa. Are you interested in an interview? Please send an e-mail to Andrea Ayemoba: andrea@africabusinesscommunities.com