As part of celebrations to commemorate this year’s International Youth Day, global e-commerce and direct selling leader, QNET, has brought together Nigerian youths to harness entrepreneurship potentials to promote socio-economic growth.
International Youth Day is celebrated annually to bring relevant issues to the international community’s attention and empower young people to contribute positively to their nations. This year’s theme is “Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages”. According to the United Nations, the choice of theme is to combat ageism and build bridges between generations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Underlining the importance of International Youth Day, Mr Biram Fall, QNET’s Regional Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, said: “The potential of youth as partners in today’s global society cannot be overemphasized. I commend young people across Nigeria for their dedication and perseverance to succeed despite all odds. At QNET, we understand that the world needs to leverage the full potential of all generations. We call on the youth in Nigeria to focus on their entrepreneurial proficiency to achieve sustainable growth and development. That could start with direct selling.”
The direct selling model involves selling products directly to customers outside of traditional stores and relies on word-of-mouth promotion from existing users. Results from the latest direct selling report by the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA) show that global direct sales increased by 2.3 per cent year-on-year, from US$175.3 billion in 2019 to US$179.3 billion in 2020. The direct selling industry demonstrated continued strength in 2021 with a 3.0 per cent increase in global sales compared to the previous year, valued at approximately USD 186.1 trillion. This shows that while the Covid-19 pandemic shaped a different and challenging path for many industries over the past two years, direct selling continues to thrive amidst the contraction in economic activity.
“Nigeria has one of the largest populations of youth in the world, and the potential of this emerging young talent pool is a key asset for the country’s economic growth. E-commerce boosts the economy by increasing productivity, encouraging innovation and creating huge opportunities for youth participation in global growth. Direct selling can be a supplementary source of income for those pursuing their passion, or even a full-time career for the entrepreneurial-minded, depending on the person’s ambition. At QNET, we want to enable young people to leverage their technological prowess, solid connection to the community, and sense of social responsibility to generate a sustainable source of income outside less flexible, traditional career paths with direct selling.”, added Mr Fall.
Through various initiatives and investments, QNET has also reinforced its commitment to empowering young people with the skills needed to pursue opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. Earlier in the year, the company rolled out the pilot phase for its signature financial literacy program, “FinGreen“, designed to develop healthy financial habits through education and training among young adults. FinGreen addresses common financial barriers faced by young entrepreneurs looking to participate in the global e-commerce boom and aims to educate these young people about financial risk awareness in an increasingly knowledge-based and digital world.
QNET offers entrepreneurially spirited youth to enter the direct selling industry, become independent distributors for the brand and run their own business through its e-commerce portal and mobile app. The QNET platform provides users with the tools they need to conduct their business from anywhere seamlessly.
