Held across Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, Zimbabwe and South Africa, the business challenge seeks to improve youth employability as students gain practical experiences of the corporate world.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Ziobeieton Yeo, the Managing Director, Unilever Ghana, said the sole focus of IdeaTrophy was to provide opportunity to university students to design a business strategy for the brand in focus, work as a team, brainstorm and learn new skills and mentorship from Unilever managers.

This year’s edition under the tagline bigger, better and very challenging, students will get the opportunity to work with Omo, one of Unilever’s premium brand with the tagline, Dirt is Good (DiG).

It is also to improve youth employability as students gain practical experiences of the corporate world. The ultimate winners, among others, are sponsored by Unilever for a study tour abroad to key international business events to meet and interact with global business leaders.

Mr Yeo said Unilever was not only concerned about profits, but impacting the lives of people.“Unilever does not only sell consumer goods and toiletries but builds the capacities of the youth to make them employable on the job market,” he said, and stressed the commitment of the company to the development of the country.

He said the IdeaTrophy was to prepare the youth for future leadership roles.

“The Unilever Africa Idea Trophy is to shape tomorrow’s concept of leadership and produce better future leaders,” Mr Yeo said. The business challenge, Unilever Africa Idea Trophy was created by Unilever Turkey in 2001 to create a challenging and creative experience for university students as well as introduce young people to the realities of the business world.

This competition has spread to other Unilever businesses such as the Unilever NAME (North Africa and Middle East), UK, Turkey, Russia, Unilever Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and recently Cote D’Ivoire.