Theme: Building Resilient Enterprises for the Future
Transitioning from an annual event to a structured, community-rooted enterprise ecosystem.
World Entrepreneurs Day (WED) – Zazzau Version 5.0 is the fifth and anniversary edition of Northern Nigeria's foremost community-driven entrepreneurship platform, convened by Zazzau Version Entrepreneurs (ZVE) in Zaria, Kaduna State.
Over the expanded 2-day format, Day One replaces standard lectures with 4 concurrent, expert-led sector pavilions (Trade, Tech, Agribusiness, Creative). Day Two presents a public SME Pitch Competition awarding ₦3,000,000 in enterprise grants to support adaptability, digital transformation, and sustainable scaling.
Expanded multi-day networking and masterclasses
Proposed grant capital for competitive SME pitch
Foundation & Launch
Ecosystem Growth
Global Innovations
Policy & Resilience
Anniversary Milestones
Founder, ZVE
Convener, WED
Welcome to Zazzau Version Entrepreneurs (ZVE)!
I am Bello Yusuf Yusuf, the Founder of ZVE and Convener of the highly celebrated World Entrepreneurship Day (WED) – Zazzau Version. What started as a simple vision to unite and empower entrepreneurs has grown into a movement that is redefining the entrepreneurship narrative in Northern Nigeria and beyond.
Over the past editions of WED, we have witnessed overwhelming participation, with over 1,000 entrepreneurs and attendees collectively, engaging in workshops, exhibitions, panel discussions, and networking opportunities.
With gratitude,
Bello Yusuf Yusuf
Founder, ZVE & Convener, WED
Our objectives align with the "Building Resilient Enterprises for the Future" theme, focusing on ecosystem building, strategic pavilions, and direct capital access.
Deliver sector-specific enterprise knowledge through 4 concurrent expert-facilitated pavilions.
Build business resilience through access to finance, operational, digital, and market-access strategies.
Improve investment readiness among selected SMEs through a structured pitch competition and pre-event coaching.
Create direct market access through an Enterprise Exhibition with minimum 30 businesses running across both days.
Channel direct enterprise capital (₦3M proposed grant pool) to six SMEs through a transparent competitive pitch.
Produce a post-event impact report documenting measurable outcomes within 60 days post-event.
Hear from business owners, entrepreneurs, and innovators who have been part of the WED journey.
Entrepreneur & Business Owner
No boring moment. It's worth every penny and more.
Business Owner & Innovator
It's very educational and empowering.
Entrepreneur & Networker
I was able to meet young and successful entrepreneurs and gained a lot of experience
Business Owner & Attendee
It was a great privilege having the opportunity to attend and it was a game changer
Entrepreneur & Business Owner
WED was an eye-opening and inspiring experience for me. I connected with brilliant minds, gained practical insights, and left with renewed motivation to grow my business. It was truly a day that reminded me why I started my entrepreneurial journey in the first place.
Business Owner & Learner
My experience at WED 3.0 was very impactful. I learned so much from the speakers about business growth & personal development.
Entrepreneur & Event Attendee
I learn and unlearn a lot from the event
Founder & CEO, EcoInnovate Solutions
WED was a game-changer for my startup. The mentorship and networking opportunities were invaluable. We've grown from 5 to 25 employees since attending WED 2.0.
Founder & Managing Director, Student Ventures
As a student entrepreneur, WED gave me the confidence and connections to pursue my business idea. We've secured our first major client and are expanding rapidly.
Founder & CEO, TechSavvy Solutions
The pitch competition was intense but incredibly rewarding. We secured our first seed funding thanks to WED. The investor connections alone were worth the experience.
Founder & Executive Director, Social Impact Hub
I met my co-founder at WED. It's more than a conference; it's a community of passionate innovators. Our social enterprise has impacted over 10,000 lives.
Founder & CEO, AgriTech Innovations
The workshops on sustainable agriculture were eye-opening. WED is relevant and forward-thinking. We've developed new farming technologies that are now used across 5 states.
Founder & Creative Director, Zaria Arts Collective
A fantastic platform for creative entrepreneurs to showcase their work and connect with a wider audience. We've expanded our business to three cities since WED 1.0.
Entrepreneur & Business Owner
No boring moment. It's worth every penny and more.
Business Owner & Innovator
It's very educational and empowering.
Entrepreneur & Networker
I was able to meet young and successful entrepreneurs and gained a lot of experience
Business Owner & Attendee
It was a great privilege having the opportunity to attend and it was a game changer
Entrepreneur & Business Owner
WED was an eye-opening and inspiring experience for me. I connected with brilliant minds, gained practical insights, and left with renewed motivation to grow my business. It was truly a day that reminded me why I started my entrepreneurial journey in the first place.
Business Owner & Learner
My experience at WED 3.0 was very impactful. I learned so much from the speakers about business growth & personal development.
Entrepreneur & Event Attendee
I learn and unlearn a lot from the event
Founder & CEO, EcoInnovate Solutions
WED was a game-changer for my startup. The mentorship and networking opportunities were invaluable. We've grown from 5 to 25 employees since attending WED 2.0.
Founder & Managing Director, Student Ventures
As a student entrepreneur, WED gave me the confidence and connections to pursue my business idea. We've secured our first major client and are expanding rapidly.
Founder & CEO, TechSavvy Solutions
The pitch competition was intense but incredibly rewarding. We secured our first seed funding thanks to WED. The investor connections alone were worth the experience.
Founder & Executive Director, Social Impact Hub
I met my co-founder at WED. It's more than a conference; it's a community of passionate innovators. Our social enterprise has impacted over 10,000 lives.
Founder & CEO, AgriTech Innovations
The workshops on sustainable agriculture were eye-opening. WED is relevant and forward-thinking. We've developed new farming technologies that are now used across 5 states.
Founder & Creative Director, Zaria Arts Collective
A fantastic platform for creative entrepreneurs to showcase their work and connect with a wider audience. We've expanded our business to three cities since WED 1.0.
Entrepreneur & Business Owner
No boring moment. It's worth every penny and more.
Business Owner & Innovator
It's very educational and empowering.
Entrepreneur & Networker
I was able to meet young and successful entrepreneurs and gained a lot of experience
Business Owner & Attendee
It was a great privilege having the opportunity to attend and it was a game changer
Entrepreneur & Business Owner
WED was an eye-opening and inspiring experience for me. I connected with brilliant minds, gained practical insights, and left with renewed motivation to grow my business. It was truly a day that reminded me why I started my entrepreneurial journey in the first place.
Business Owner & Learner
My experience at WED 3.0 was very impactful. I learned so much from the speakers about business growth & personal development.
Entrepreneur & Event Attendee
I learn and unlearn a lot from the event
Founder & CEO, EcoInnovate Solutions
WED was a game-changer for my startup. The mentorship and networking opportunities were invaluable. We've grown from 5 to 25 employees since attending WED 2.0.
Founder & Managing Director, Student Ventures
As a student entrepreneur, WED gave me the confidence and connections to pursue my business idea. We've secured our first major client and are expanding rapidly.
Founder & CEO, TechSavvy Solutions
The pitch competition was intense but incredibly rewarding. We secured our first seed funding thanks to WED. The investor connections alone were worth the experience.
Founder & Executive Director, Social Impact Hub
I met my co-founder at WED. It's more than a conference; it's a community of passionate innovators. Our social enterprise has impacted over 10,000 lives.
Founder & CEO, AgriTech Innovations
The workshops on sustainable agriculture were eye-opening. WED is relevant and forward-thinking. We've developed new farming technologies that are now used across 5 states.
Founder & Creative Director, Zaria Arts Collective
A fantastic platform for creative entrepreneurs to showcase their work and connect with a wider audience. We've expanded our business to three cities since WED 1.0.
Entrepreneur & Business Owner
No boring moment. It's worth every penny and more.
Business Owner & Innovator
It's very educational and empowering.
Entrepreneur & Networker
I was able to meet young and successful entrepreneurs and gained a lot of experience
Business Owner & Attendee
It was a great privilege having the opportunity to attend and it was a game changer
Entrepreneur & Business Owner
WED was an eye-opening and inspiring experience for me. I connected with brilliant minds, gained practical insights, and left with renewed motivation to grow my business. It was truly a day that reminded me why I started my entrepreneurial journey in the first place.
Business Owner & Learner
My experience at WED 3.0 was very impactful. I learned so much from the speakers about business growth & personal development.
Entrepreneur & Event Attendee
I learn and unlearn a lot from the event
Founder & CEO, EcoInnovate Solutions
WED was a game-changer for my startup. The mentorship and networking opportunities were invaluable. We've grown from 5 to 25 employees since attending WED 2.0.
Founder & Managing Director, Student Ventures
As a student entrepreneur, WED gave me the confidence and connections to pursue my business idea. We've secured our first major client and are expanding rapidly.
Founder & CEO, TechSavvy Solutions
The pitch competition was intense but incredibly rewarding. We secured our first seed funding thanks to WED. The investor connections alone were worth the experience.
Founder & Executive Director, Social Impact Hub
I met my co-founder at WED. It's more than a conference; it's a community of passionate innovators. Our social enterprise has impacted over 10,000 lives.
Founder & CEO, AgriTech Innovations
The workshops on sustainable agriculture were eye-opening. WED is relevant and forward-thinking. We've developed new farming technologies that are now used across 5 states.
Founder & Creative Director, Zaria Arts Collective
A fantastic platform for creative entrepreneurs to showcase their work and connect with a wider audience. We've expanded our business to three cities since WED 1.0.
Be part of this historic two-day experience focused on building resilient enterprises for the future. Discover expert pavilions, watch pitch competitions, and network. Join us October 3–4, 2026.
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