Five entrepreneurs pitch business ideas as Coffee & Conversations promotes networking, learning and collaboration

JALINGO, TARABA — Entrepreneurs, creatives and professionals from different fields converged in Jalingo on Friday, August 28, 2026, for Coffee & Conversations, an innovative business networking initiative designed to foster meaningful relationships, exchange ideas and support enterprise development.

Organised by Tayanni Hub, the event provided participants with an opportunity to connect, learn from experienced professionals, discuss business and career challenges, and pitch their ideas before a judging panel.

The initiative is the brainchild of Doffi Rhema-Agatha, Founder and Managing Partner of Tayanni Hub, a creative business strategist, operations expert and talent development specialist.

Through Tayanni Hub, Doffi focuses on helping young creatives, entrepreneurs, founders, storytellers and innovators transform ideas into sustainable careers and thriving enterprises.

Her approach combines creativity with business strategy, operational excellence and ecosystem development, reflecting the philosophy behind Coffee & Conversations: “Building People. Building Businesses. Building Networks.”

The event, held at Zion Hall Nobis, Jalingo, was deliberately designed around interaction and practical engagement rather than a conventional conference format.

Guests began arriving from around 10:00 a.m., with registration taking place before the programme officially commenced at approximately 10:45 a.m.

Creating the Right Environment for Connection

The programme opened with an introduction by the host, who welcomed participants, outlined the purpose of the gathering and introduced a networking prompt to encourage attendees to begin interacting.

A social media engagement session followed, with participants taking photographs, connecting with the event’s digital platforms and following the social media accounts of the conveners.

The Convener, Doffi Rhema-Agatha, subsequently delivered the welcome address and recognised the sponsors, partners and supporters who contributed to the event.

A dedicated networking session then allowed participants to introduce themselves, interact and begin building relationships.

Lasting approximately 15–20 minutes, the session reinforced one of the central objectives of the initiative — creating an environment where professionals and entrepreneurs could move beyond simply exchanging contacts to establishing meaningful connections.

Five Entrepreneurs Pitch Their Ideas

One of the major highlights of the event was the pitching competition, which provided five contestants with an opportunity to present their business ideas before a three-member judging panel comprising Sandra Adedayo Ojo, Doffi Rhema-Agatha and Kotiya Babayo Philip.

The contestants presented their ideas and responded to the evaluation process, with the pitching session lasting approximately 20 minutes.

The judges, however, withheld the outcome until after the main panel discussion, keeping participants in anticipation.

The pitching component added a practical dimension to the event, giving entrepreneurs the opportunity to publicly communicate their ideas and demonstrate their business thinking.

Coffee, Conversations and Practical Insights

The pitching competition was followed by the main Coffee & Conversations panel discussion, where participants engaged with panelists on issues around business, entrepreneurship, professional development and growth.

Coffee and snacks were served during the session, creating an informal atmosphere that encouraged open and engaging conversations.

The discussion lasted for more than an hour, with participants raising thought-provoking questions and engaging with the panelists on issues relevant to their entrepreneurial and professional journeys.

The formal panel discussion was followed by an additional 20–30-minute audience question-and-answer session.

Participants used the opportunity to seek clarification, share experiences and engage directly with the panel.

A Multidisciplinary Team Behind the Event

The event was supported by a multidisciplinary team whose professional backgrounds reflected the broad objectives of Coffee & Conversations.

Sandra Adedayo Ojo, who served as Media Communications and Publicity Lead as well as moderator, brought more than a decade of experience across technology, product management, customer education, quality assurance and technology communications to the initiative.

Her role involved shaping the event’s public communication while facilitating conversations and audience engagement.

Kotiya Babayo Philip, who coordinated the programme, combined her experience as an academic and entrepreneur with responsibility for ensuring the smooth running of the event.

A lecturer at the College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Jalingo, Kotiya is also an entrepreneur with interests in beauty and interior design through her businesses, Mystique_Koko and MkayConcepts.

Peace Solomon Yasaba, who handled welfare and wellbeing coordination, brought her professional experience as a Registered Nurse and Registered Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse to the event, ensuring attention to participants’ comfort and wellbeing.

Precious Zaria, responsible for partnerships and community management, contributed her background in international relations, diplomacy, public policy and institutional development to stakeholder engagement and community building.

The combination of business strategy, technology, communications, academia, healthcare, public policy and entrepreneurship gave the initiative a deliberately multidisciplinary character.

Winner Emerges from Pitch Competition

Following the audience interaction, Miss Kotiya, one of the judges, announced the winner of the pitching competition.

The winning contestant was recognised for a successful pitch and strong performance before the judging panel.

The pitch competition represented one of the event’s practical interventions aimed at encouraging participants not only to discuss entrepreneurship but also to articulate and defend their ideas in a public setting.

Building Beyond the Event

In her closing remarks and vote of thanks, Doffi Rhema-Agatha expressed appreciation to participants, sponsors, partners, brands and other supporters whose contributions helped make the event possible.

Miss Sandra also offered additional appreciation to everyone who participated in and contributed to the programme.

The host subsequently declared the event closed, while encouraging participants to remain behind to continue networking, interact and take photographs.

The gathering ended on a positive note, with participants having had the opportunity to learn, connect, pitch ideas and engage in meaningful conversations.

For Tayanni Hub, however, the significance of Coffee & Conversations extends beyond the event itself.

The initiative reflects Doffi Rhema-Agatha’s broader vision of creating an ecosystem where entrepreneurs and professionals can build meaningful relationships, exchange valuable ideas and develop businesses capable of creating lasting impact.

By combining networking with practical conversations and an opportunity for entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas, Tayanni Hub is positioning Coffee & Conversations as a platform for strengthening Jalingo’s emerging entrepreneurial and creative ecosystem.

Building people. Building businesses. Building networks.