Kickoff Time

The Apprentice Africa (TAA) show began three weeks ago and the 18 contestants have this far been reduced to 16.

They are competing for a powerful corporate job with an annual salary of Shs340m and a Mercedes Benz.

The tough-speaking Biodun Shobanjo is the CEO of TAA whom the participants are hustling to impress.

Mr. Shobanjo is the Chairman of Troyka group and co-founder of Insight Grey, Nigeria's largest advertising agency.

The reality series which is the first Africa-wide version of its American counterpart is a 16-week job interview where contestants do rigorous business tasks to determine their resourcefulness and street-smartness.

They handle business problem challenges related to brand awareness, distribution and supply chain management, corporate social responsibility and public relations, leadership, innovation and competition, and marketing campaigns and corporate image.

The show has become a battle of sexes since the contestants were divided into two groups: female and male.

Following each task, the losing team is summoned to the boardroom, where the unforgiving CEO discusses with members the performance and one of the most unserious is fired and sent home.

Uganda is represented by UBC's Nancy Kalembe, Deox Tibeingana of Tibeingana & Co. Advocates and Metropolitan Insurance Agency boss Oscar Kamukama.

The contestants are housed in a Lagos Mansion and the show airs on WBS every Sunday night 8-9pm.