LWB Urges Nigerians to Prepare for Global Opportunities

Professionals, entrepreneurs and creators have been urged to develop globally relevant skills and businesses that can compete beyond Nigeria’s borders, as experts warned that talent alone would no longer be enough to secure opportunities in an increasingly interconnected global economy.

The call was made at the maiden Lagos edition of Limitless Without Borders (LWB), held on Saturday at Queens Park Hall, Victoria Island, Lagos, with the theme, “Building for Global Relevance.”

The event, convened by the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of RKY Group, Ruqayat Alabi, brought together professionals, founders, investors, creators and industry leaders to examine pathways to global careers, international markets, investment, wealth creation, technology and mobility.

Alabi said LWB was established to bridge the gap between talent and access to global opportunities, noting that the initiative, which began in London four years ago, had held four editions in the United Kingdom before being brought to Lagos for the first time.

She said the decision to bring the platform to Nigeria was driven by the need to prepare Nigerians for global opportunities from home, rather than waiting until they relocate before acquiring the skills, networks and information required to compete.

According to her, many Nigerians possess the talent needed to succeed internationally but lack the right information and access to opportunities.

“Nigerians are very talented, but talent is not enough,” Alabi said, stressing that professionals needed transferable skills that remained relevant regardless of their employer, industry or geographical location.

She said the initiative was also designed to help Nigerian founders develop businesses capable of serving international markets and becoming attractive to foreign investors.

Alabi added that Nigeria and Africa would become increasingly important sources of global talent because of the continent’s large and youthful population, but questioned whether Nigerian professionals and businesses were sufficiently prepared to take advantage of the opportunity.

She said LWB therefore sought to prepare professionals, businesses, creators and investors to participate in the global economy while leveraging opportunities available without necessarily relocating abroad.

The event also examined international entrepreneurship and immigration pathways, with Scott Haughton, Founding Director and Chief Operating Officer of Envestors Limited, highlighting the opportunities and challenges associated with the UK Innovator Founder Visa.

Haughton said Nigerians constituted a significant proportion of African applicants seeking endorsement under the visa pathway, but disclosed that the endorsement rate among applicants handled by his organisation was about 35 to 40 per cent.

He said many unsuccessful applicants failed to demonstrate that their proposed businesses were sufficiently innovative, viable and scalable within the UK market.

According to him, applicants must demonstrate a clear understanding of the UK market, existing competition and the unique selling proposition of their businesses.

He also identified inadequate preparation and insufficient financial runway as common weaknesses, explaining that applicants needed to demonstrate their ability to sustain their businesses during the initial period of operation.

Haughton, however, said the process was not limited to technology businesses, noting that applicants from any sector could qualify if they could demonstrate genuine innovation, viability and scalability.

Speaking on the skills required by businesses seeking to hire global talent, Richard Chukwu, Founder of Voceti Global, said technical competence alone was no longer sufficient.

Chukwu said employers increasingly wanted professionals capable of identifying and solving real-world problems.

He urged young Africans to move beyond simply acquiring technical skills and learn how to translate those skills into solutions capable of delivering measurable value to businesses.

According to him, a data analyst, for instance, should not merely be able to produce a Power BI dashboard but should understand how to interpret the data and use it to solve a business problem.

The event also featured a panel session on “Funding Ready: How to Build a Business Investors Take Seriously,” moderated by Alabi, alongside keynote speeches, fireside conversations, networking, book signing, awards and raffle draws.

The Lagos edition attracted participants from different parts of Nigeria, including Abuja and Oyo, as well as partners and participants from the United Kingdom.

Alabi said the organisers planned to continue expanding the LWB platform as part of efforts to help more professionals and business owners understand their potential, acquire relevant skills and gain access to opportunities beyond their immediate environment.

She said the broader objective was to build a generation of Nigerians whose professional and entrepreneurial relevance was not restricted by geography.

The event featured speakers including Salem King, Esohe Igbinoba, Emmanuel Faith, Nancy Amaku, Alex Godber, Motunrayo Akinjo, William Nwogbo, Aderonke Salami, Richard Chukwu, Victory Ashaka and Scott Haughton.