Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor | journalist at wengglobal
A business summit held in Awka, Anambra State, has urged entrepreneurs and business owners across the South-East to move beyond a culture of consumption and place greater emphasis on creating products, services and solutions capable of generating wealth and expanding the region’s economic influence.
The summit also encouraged businesses to strengthen their online presence, arguing that digital visibility has become increasingly important for companies seeking to reach customers beyond their immediate communities and compete in wider Nigerian and international markets.
The call comes as businesses in the South-East continue to navigate a difficult operating environment characterised by rising costs, infrastructure challenges and changing consumer behaviour.
For many small and medium-sized businesses, particularly those operating in traditional sectors, the ability to attract customers is no longer limited to physical locations, word-of-mouth referrals or conventional advertising.
The growing importance of digital platforms means businesses can now use websites, social media, e-commerce platforms and digital payment systems to showcase their products, communicate with customers and reach markets outside their immediate locations.
From consumers to creators
The central message of the summit was that businesses in the region must increasingly become creators rather than remain heavily dependent on consumption.
Speakers and participants emphasised the importance of innovation, production, entrepreneurship and the development of solutions that address real problems within the South-East and beyond.
The shift is particularly important for a region widely recognised for its entrepreneurial culture and commercial activity.
Research on micro, small and medium enterprises in the South-East has found a relationship between entrepreneurial orientation, including innovativeness and proactiveness, and market sustainability.
This suggests that businesses that continuously adapt, innovate and identify new opportunities may be better positioned to remain competitive as markets change.
The summit’s message therefore goes beyond simply encouraging people to start businesses. It focuses on building enterprises capable of creating value, employing people, developing products and competing in larger markets.
Digital visibility becomes a business necessity
Another major focus was the need for businesses to take their online presence seriously.
For many entrepreneurs, social media has traditionally been used mainly as a platform for personal interaction. However, the business environment is increasingly turning these platforms into important tools for marketing, customer engagement and sales.
A business that operates only from a physical shop in Awka, Onitsha, Aba, Enugu or another South-East commercial centre may have limited visibility among customers outside its immediate area.
A strong digital presence can change that.
Through social media pages, websites, online catalogues, digital advertising and e-commerce platforms, businesses can present their products to customers across Nigeria and potentially to buyers in other African and international markets.
The importance of digital transformation has also featured in recent efforts to improve the business environment in Anambra.
In June 2026, the Anambra State Government partnered with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council on reforms aimed at simplifying business operations and improving the state’s attractiveness as a business destination.
A Federal Government report on a 2025 business-environment town hall in Awka also noted plans to move major markets in the state online to improve accessibility through the internet.
These developments point to a broader shift in which physical commerce and digital commerce are increasingly becoming interconnected.
South-East businesses face changing economic realities
The summit’s call for innovation comes against the backdrop of significant economic pressures facing businesses across the region.
Small business owners have reported difficulties associated with higher operating costs, weaker consumer purchasing power and increased expenses for energy and other inputs.
A 2024 report by Vanguard documented complaints from South-East small business owners who said economic hardship had reduced demand for their products and services while increasing their operating costs.
Energy costs remain another major challenge.
Earlier this month, stakeholders in Awka discussed strategies for helping manufacturers deal with high energy costs, including greater use of affordable power sources, strategic partnerships and technology-driven solutions.
For businesses operating under these conditions, simply maintaining existing methods may no longer be enough.
Entrepreneurs increasingly need to find ways of reducing costs, improving productivity, differentiating their products and reaching customers more efficiently.
Building products for wider markets
The summit’s emphasis on creation also highlights an opportunity for businesses in the South-East to look beyond their immediate communities.
The region has a long history of entrepreneurship, manufacturing, trading and craftsmanship. However, businesses can potentially increase their economic impact by turning local expertise into scalable products and services.
Technology provides one pathway.
In Awka, technology hubs such as Tekhub NG are supporting developers, entrepreneurs and young people through training, software development, co-working and innovation programmes. The hub describes itself as an innovation ecosystem focused on helping people build technology-driven solutions and businesses.
Such ecosystems could help entrepreneurs move from ideas to commercially viable products while creating opportunities for collaboration between businesses and technology professionals.
The challenge, however, is to ensure that innovation does not remain limited to conferences, training sessions or ideas.
Businesses must ultimately convert ideas into products customers are willing to pay for.
Online presence can expand customer reach
For a small business, digital visibility can also help reduce dependence on location.
A fashion designer, manufacturer, food processor, furniture maker, consultant or technology company can use digital platforms to display its work, collect enquiries and build relationships with customers far beyond its physical neighbourhood.
A professional website can provide credibility and serve as a permanent digital storefront, while social media can support daily engagement and product promotion.
Businesses can also use digital tools to collect customer feedback, understand market preferences and identify new opportunities.
However, simply opening a social media account is not enough.
Businesses need consistent branding, quality content, accurate product information, responsive customer service and reliable delivery systems.
Digital visibility must therefore be matched by operational capacity.
The opportunity for South-East entrepreneurs
The message from the Awka summit presents a broader challenge to entrepreneurs across the region: transform the traditional strength of commerce into a stronger culture of production, innovation and value creation.
The South-East already has a large network of traders, manufacturers, artisans, service providers and technology entrepreneurs.
The next stage could involve helping more of these businesses develop recognisable brands, manufacture competitive products, adopt technology and reach customers outside their traditional markets.
For younger entrepreneurs in particular, digital platforms provide an opportunity to build businesses without being restricted by geography.
The combination of physical production and digital marketing could allow a business based in Awka or another South-East city to compete for customers across Nigeria and beyond.
What the summit’s message means for businesses
The call to shift from consumption to creation is ultimately a call for businesses to become more innovative and market-oriented.
Instead of asking only what customers are currently buying, entrepreneurs can increasingly ask what problems customers face and what products or services can solve them.
That approach can create new markets rather than simply competing for existing ones.
For South-East businesses, the opportunity is significant but requires investment in skills, technology, branding, production capacity and customer service.
As digital commerce continues to expand, businesses that combine local knowledge with modern technology may be better positioned to turn regional entrepreneurship into scalable enterprises.
The Awka summit has therefore placed a timely message before the region’s business community: do not only consume what others create; create products, services and ideas that others will want to consume.
For a region with a strong entrepreneurial tradition, making that transition could be critical to building businesses capable of surviving economic pressures, creating jobs and competing in increasingly interconnected markets.
Sources
- Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation — PEBEC/SABER business town hall in Awka.
- Punch — Anambra partners PEBEC to boost ease of doing business.
- Vanguard — South-East small business owners on economic pressures.
- The Guardian — MAN South-East stakeholders on high energy costs.
- Tekhub NG — Technology and innovation ecosystem in Awka.
- Academic Journal of Current Practice in Business and Management — Entrepreneurial orientation and MSME sustainability in South-East Nigeria.
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Tags: South-East Nigeria, Awka, Anambra, Business, Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Digital Marketing, Innovation, Technology, Business Creation, Online Visibility, Nigerian Economy, Weng Global,
