By Betsy Ramser Jaime
‘I am a young entrepreneur who is dedicated, punctual, and one who has and shows integrity in all he does,’ shares Joseph Agadaga.
Joseph has a strong educational background with a National Diploma in Civil Engineering and an Associate of Computer Science from Plateau State Polytechnic Barkin Ladi (Nigeria) and University of the People, Pasadena California.
Today he is the Founder and CEO of Agadaga Enterprise. Getting started in entrepreneurship Joseph says, ‘Having attended several entrepreneurship programs sponsored by both local and international organizations on how to start and grow a business, I started my business, Agadaga Enterprise by registering it with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria. Agadaga Enterprise is a business in the agriculture value chain. The need for food cannot be overemphasized. The Pandemic and insecurity in Nigeria are affecting food production as a lot of people were and are not able to farm. The business adopts international best practices for food production.’
In addition to his farming business, Joseph also manages a cybercafe. Having these multiple streams of income has allowed him to diversify and confidently repay his Zidisha funded loans on time.
Starting with Zidisha in March 2020, Joseph has raised six Zidisha funded loans. With his first loan of $13 he was able to purchase basic office supplies including paper, laminating films, and a new battery for his computer.
Shortly thereafter, he used his next loan of $22 to help fund training that he hoped to attend, writing, ‘I intend on using this money to register for an entrepreneurship training funded and organized by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the government of Nigeria held from the 23-28 of this month.’
As the world seemed to shut down in 2020, Joseph continued to take online courses to learn new skills and focused on his farming business at home. By July 2020, he had completed a training course with the organization, Heal the Youth Foundation.
In December 2020, Joseph excitedly raised his largest loan to date, raising $572, helping him to purchase building materials such as cement and sand for the construction of a poultry house, fish pond, and fence.
On Sep 11, 2021, Joseph took to his Zidisha discussion page and shared his appreciation for the entire Zidisha community, writing, ‘Hello everyone, I want to use this to thank and appreciate all those who have so far contributed to this, I am grateful.’
Most recently, in September 2021, Joseph raised a loan for $540 and shared, ‘This loan will be used for the purchase of some machines and equipment and also completion of the building work currently ongoing. It will be used for erecting fences, and plumbing work.’
Would you like to make a difference in the life of an entrepreneur like Joseph? Make sure to head on over to our Browse Projects page to see what other Zidisha business owners are doing around the world.
Betsy is a Writer and Editor living in Florida with her husband. She has been writing with Zidisha for 5 years and loves sharing the inspiring stories of Zidisha entrepreneurs. You can connect with her on her personal website.
