Enterprise: 10 corps members get N2.7m fund in Kano
…NYSC launches business scheme in Benue
Ten corps members in Kano have been rewarded with cash prices in Access Bank’s entrepreneurship scheme. The winners emerged after pitching their business ideas at an entrepreneurship competition organised by the bank at the NYSC orientation camp at Karaye LGA of the state with the overall winner, Opeyemi Etiwe awarded with N1 million to boost and commercialise the mobile application he developed to tackle mental health challenges.
The runner up, Aminu Abubakar, who presented a business idea on Internet Solution provision was awarded N700,000; while the third placed Corp member, Abdullahi Kabir, a medical doctor went home with N400,000 to support his pharmaceutical business idea; and Yunus Aisha and Abari Amina, both with business ideas on fashion designing emerged 4th and 5th to go home with N250,000 and N150,000 cash prices.
The bank also rewarded the 6th to 10th placed corps members with N100,000 each to boost their business ideas.
Speaking after the event, the Regional Director of the bank for North West, Aminu Inuwa said the bank rewards sacrifices, hard work and excellence, noting that the goal is to have youths coming into the labour market with entrepreneurship skills.
On the expected impact of the scheme on the economy, Inuwa said as SMEs globally are the backbone of the economy, saying any nation that key into SME business will have a rapid development.
The grand prize winner, Opeyemi
Etiwe said he expects the money to further ensure the economic viability of his project, noting that already over 20 mental health experts have already subscribed and the app will help them to boost their source of income while addressing the mental health issue.
In Benue, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has flagged off its Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme for corps members.
The Departmental Director of SAED, from NYSC headquarters in Abuja, Hilary Nasamu, said during the exercise that the increasing rate of unemployment among Nigerian graduates had necessitated the establishment of the SAED programme with a view to contributing to the attainment of the SDG’s goal of reduction of extreme poverty and hunger.
He called on corps members deployed to Benue state to redefine their focus and aspirations during the service year by participating in the programme.
Nasamu who was represented by the NYSC Benue Coordinator, Abe Dankaro Ashumate, also told the Batch B stream 1 Orientation course corps members that the programme cultivated the culture of entrepreneurship and income generation practices and capacity building to create wealth among youth corps members.
The Assistant Director SAED, NYSC Benue and present Camp Director, Adi David as well as the SAED Monitor from the National Directorate Headquarters, Abuja ,Mrs Binta Hassan, while delivering their address, charged the corps members to leverage on the great opportunity provided by the SAED platform.