The founders of SEC have always believed that providing real value through products or services that consumers expressly need, can result in sustainable financial returns and community upliftment. They have seen first-hand growing up, how entrepreneurship enabled people to emancipate their families out of dire straits and self-determine, and it was inspiring to know what is possible even on the African continent.
Unfortunately, like many others who passionately pursue entrepreneurship on the African continent, nothing had prepared the SEC founders for the realities of the entrepreneurial journey. Through what seemed like an endless cycle of trial and error, with incredible highs and devastating lows, they came to the conclusion that there is little available in the way of platforms to adequately prepare, guide and teach Africans for a career in entrepreneurship.
After extensive introspection, deliberate paradigm shifting and analysis of the status quo, the SEC founders decided that there is a pressing need for a specialist, practice based entrepreneurship institution that is premised on reengineering the African mind for entrepreneurial success.
Youth account for 60% of Africa’s jobless, and in 2021 the World Bank reported a poverty rate of 41% in Sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty in Africa is a complex issue with various causes, including lack of access to education and lack of job opportunities. Tackling poverty in Africa will require a multifaceted approach that addresses the underlying causes. Individuals and governments alike have identified entrepreneurship as a possible antidote to some of these problems. However, there is a high failure rate of entrepreneurial ventures in Africa, despite varied interventions that include entrepreneurship education.
The challenge with entrepreneurship education, apart from the debate about whether entrepreneurs are born or taught, is that traditional teaching methods do not seem to be successful in producing entrepreneurs. This creates an imperative to rethink and innovate on African entrepreneurship education.
Entrepreneurship is fundamentally a mindset, a framework of thinking and acting that can empower one to succeed. Entrepreneurial thinking equips one with the tools to navigate the complexities and uncertainty of the modern world, and the demand for individuals with this mindset is at an all-time high across all sectors of society.
Empowering Africans to be solution providers and job creators in their communities, through practice-based learning, paradigm change and extensive support.
Be the leading Pan-African institution in the development of mentally prepared, solution-oriented and resourceful entrepreneurs.
Changing common attitudes, limiting beliefs, and traditional practices to develop an entrepreneurial mental framework that supports opportunity creation and the sustainable achievement of better outcomes. This is particularly critical for African entrepreneurs who may have directly or indirectly been exposed to themes of lack, corruption, superstition, and inferiority.
Allowing learners to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired in a real-world setting, giving them the opportunity to see the immediate impact of their actions, and to learn from any mistakes or successes. This approach also helps learners to develop problem-solving skills and to be able to think on their feet and adapt to new situations.
Availing specialized support to help learners navigate the complex and ever-changing landscape of entrepreneurship and the challenges they will face when starting and growing a business.
Empowering learners to build businesses that prioritize environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Through our programs, we embed sustainable practices into entrepreneurial mindsets, enabling learners to create eco-conscious enterprises that balance profitability with positive impact on the planet and their communities.