JUST IN: GOV AIYEDATIWA LAUNCHES ‘LUCKY LIGHT’ TO POWER 1,000 SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS ONDO

GOV AIYEDATIWA LAUNCHES ‘LUCKY LIGHT’ TO POWER 1,000 SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS ONDO

Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has unveiled the Lucky Light Initiative, a phased programme designed to provide reliable, clean and affordable solar electricity to 1,000 small businesses across the state’s 18 local government areas.

The governor unveiled the initiative on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at the 2026 Ondo State Entrepreneurship Agency (ONDEA) Entrepreneurs Summit held at the International Centre for Culture and Events (The Dome), Igbatoro Road, Akure.

The initiative, according to the governor, is designed primarily as an economic intervention to reduce energy costs for small businesses rather than a household electrification programme.

Speaking at the summit, which was themed “The New Ondo: Positioning Entrepreneurs for Emerging Opportunities,” Aiyedatiwa said entrepreneurship had evolved beyond simply starting businesses, stressing the need for entrepreneurs to identify problems, develop solutions, adopt technology, build sustainable enterprises and create employment opportunities.

He said his administration was repositioning and diversifying the state’s economy by creating an environment where entrepreneurship, innovation and businesses could thrive.

The governor said government’s responsibility was to create an enabling environment rather than dependency, noting that entrepreneurs should be supported to identify opportunities, access relevant resources, build sustainable businesses and contribute to economic growth.

He identified agriculture and agro-processing, cocoa and other cash crops, tourism, the blue economy, oil and gas, solid minerals, technology, renewable energy, creative industries, manufacturing, logistics and export-oriented businesses as areas with significant opportunities in the state.

Aiyedatiwa said the administration was particularly interested in moving Ondo State beyond the production of raw materials towards processing, packaging, branding and exporting value-added products.

According to him, the state is building an entrepreneurial ecosystem designed to connect ideas with skills, skills with businesses, businesses with financing and businesses with markets, with ONDEA playing a strategic role in the process.

He explained that ONDEA was supporting entrepreneurs with business registration and formalisation, skills acquisition, training, equipment, business support and other interventions aimed at helping them develop sustainable enterprises.

The governor said the objective was to help residents transition from informal economic activities to structured businesses and from seeking employment to creating employment opportunities.

As part of the summit, Aiyedatiwa also recognised 20 entrepreneurs whose ideas emerged through the ONDEA My IDEA screening and selection process.

The 20 beneficiaries, he said, would receive funding and business support packages, as well as opportunities for further development, exposure and mentorship.

He urged the beneficiaries to deploy the support responsibly, build sustainable businesses, create employment, meet their tax obligations and support other aspiring entrepreneurs.

The governor said the broader impact of government intervention should be measured not only by the success of individual beneficiaries but also by the number of people and communities that benefit from the businesses they build.

On the Lucky Light Initiative, Aiyedatiwa noted that electricity represents a significant component of production costs for many small businesses, particularly as rising energy expenses continue to affect operating costs.

He said the initiative would commence in 2026, with the first phase supporting selected businesses in batches before subsequent phases expand coverage to more enterprises across the 18 local government areas.

The governor also announced plans to acquire shares in the Dangote Group of Companies for 500 young entrepreneurs in Ondo State, describing the initiative as part of efforts to expose young people to investment opportunities and encourage wealth creation.

In his keynote address, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, represented by his Special Adviser, Toba Oyedele, said entrepreneurs would play an important role in the Federal Government’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

He encouraged entrepreneurs in Ondo State to prepare for emerging opportunities and convert economic reforms, innovation and investment opportunities into sustainable businesses, jobs and economic growth.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Investment, Dr Summy Smart Francis, urged young entrepreneurs to actively pursue opportunities rather than wait for them.

Francis identified clarity, discipline and velocity — which he described as speed in the right direction — as important elements of successful entrepreneurship.

He encouraged entrepreneurs to establish clear visions and work towards their desired outcomes through deliberate and structured steps.

Francis further disclosed that ONDEA had established a WhatsApp group and adopted a 48-hour response system for letters as part of measures to improve communication and responsiveness between the agency and entrepreneurs.

He said the summit was a major gathering of entrepreneurs and noted that its theme aligned with the seven-point OUR EASE Agenda of the Aiyedatiwa administration, which is focused on creating an enabling environment for citizens, businesses and investors.

Media entrepreneur and former Managing Director of TVC Entertainment, Morayo Afolabi-Brown, also called for increased investment across the Southwest, noting that the region has economic opportunities beyond Lagos.

She said the concentration of economic activities in Lagos could be complemented by increased development and investment in other parts of the Southwest.

The summit was attended by the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; Head of Service, Chief Olusegun Odusanya; members of the State Executive Council and other political appointees.

The event brought together government officials, entrepreneurs, private-sector stakeholders, trainers, mentors and other participants involved in promoting entrepreneurship and investment in Ondo State.

Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State

September 19, 2026