The Federal Government has trained students on entrepreneurship development in no fewer than 100 tertiary institutions across the country, the Ministry of Financedisclosed.
The ministry’s Assistant Director of Finance and Accounts, Mohammed Baba, made this known on Friday during a training session for students of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi.
Baba explained that the initiative, carried out under the Youth Enterprise With Innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN) programme, was part of President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to equipping young Nigerians with the skills to become self-reliant.
He said the training sought to prepare students to become job creators rather than depend solely on government employment.
“We have covered more than 100 tertiary institutions and with this initiative, the generation to come will be better. They need to acquire entrepreneurship skills to fall back on, grow as entrepreneurs and become employers of labour when white-collar jobs are not available,” he stated.
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According to him, the project is being implemented in two phases. “Plan A is to provide theoretical knowledge, which is what we are doing now. Plan B is the practical aspect where funding will come in the form of grants to entrepreneurship departments, to be shared among the most qualified students,” Baba explained.
He further advised participants to make good use of the grants when disbursed and also urged them to approach the Bank of Industry for loans to develop their ideas even before government funding arrives.
One of the facilitators, Deborah Tatimi, said the YOUWIN programme was designed to inspire, equip and encourage students to view entrepreneurship as a viable career path, stressing its role in reducing overdependence on government jobs.
Registrar of the polytechnic, Kasim Salihu, commended the Federal Government for selecting the institution, urging students to take the training seriously as entrepreneurship remains key to national development.
