Secure Investment for Your Business or Idea on Lions' Den

If you are looking for funds to either scale up your existing business, or capital to start your business, then you are in luck, as the world’s biggest business reality show, Lions’ Den, is coming to Nigeria. The reality show is also known as Dragons’ Den and Shark Tank in the UK and USA respectively.

Bold and passionate entrepreneurs will be given the chance to pitch their businesses or ideas in the Lions’ Den, a business reality TV show brought to you by the producers of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire and Project Fame West Africa, Ultima Limited, with the support of Gold Sponsors, Ecobank Nigeria; Silver Sponsors, Chapel Hill Denham; and Bronze Sponsors, Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), and the Bank of Industry, with the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) as Strategic Partners.

In his remark regarding being Gold Sponsors of Lions’ Den, the Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Akinwuntan said: “The SMEs and entrepreneurs in the country are looking for viable partners that will help them build sustainable businesses. Our customers have become more discerning, they are not looking for any partner, but the right partner – one that is not just providing financial support but is investing in their growth. This is what Ecobank represents. We have been supporting SMEs because we recognize them as the engine of growth of any economy. And we do know too that the Covid-19 pandemic has spurred growth in entrepreneurship in Nigeria, creating an even bigger market opportunity. This TV show will further create more entrepreneurs.”

“We are pleased to partner with Ultima Limited best known for its flagship programmes – ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ and ‘Project Fame West Africa’. We believe the target group will embrace the programme (Lions’ Den) and at the end of the day, we will achieve our objectives of supporting small businesses and helping aspiring entrepreneurs in the country realize their dream.”

Commenting on the importance of Lions’ Den as a platform for providing support for Nigerian entrepreneurs, the Chief Executive Officer of Chapel Hill Denham, Bolaji Balogun, said, “We believe that supporting entrepreneurship and innovation in Nigeria is critical to Nigeria’s sustainable economic development and will create opportunity and jobs for our talented youth, reduce poverty, tackle social issues and enhance trade. It is an incredible opportunity to support businesses to scale by providing access to capital, to mentorship and to networks. Chapel Hill Denham is pleased to support Lions’ Den and we believe that this series will not only provide great entertainment and education but also have an incredible impact on Nigerian entrepreneurship.”

Also speaking on why the Development Bank of Nigeria chose to sponsor the TV Reality Show, the Managing Director, Tony Okpanachi said, “As a Development Financial Institution established to bridge the funding gap for MSMEs, our strategic focus has always been to provide funding and adequate capacity building for the underserved, but a critical sector of the Nigeria economy. It is in this regard, that we have partnered with Ultima Limited, the producers of the Lions’ Den. This is important to us because the Show’s objectives align with the Bank’s mandate of accelerating economic growth and equipping the MSMEs with the needed skills and channels to develop their capacity and productivity.

“I strongly believe that the shows will birth some very innovative and exciting entrepreneurs”