The Nation Newspaper

Category: Small Business and Entreprenuership

  • Raising successful beekeepers

    Beekeeper Daniel Adesina Oduntan has showcased his love for bees in Ogun State and globally. He is supporting the beekeeping movement in the United States (US) where he has relocated. Oduntan, a Masters degree holder in Entomology, is promoting sustainable beekeeping. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Chief Executive Officer, Bee-Craft Consult, Greater Salt Lake City Area, United States (US), Daniel Oduntan, is one of the internationally recognised beekeepers, who has come out of Nigeria and has taken the industry by the storm. The German-trained queen bee breeder-cum apitherapist, is on a mission to encourage commercial beekeeping in Nigeria.

    With over 25 years’ experience in the business, Oduntan is also a trainer and resource person in Nigeria and the US.

    While in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Oduntan established the Institute of Vocational Beecraft to train people in commercial beekeeping. He also trains growers and smallholders. At a point in time, he was one of the major trainers in the country.

    Beekeeping has not only increased his income level significantly, it has also enabled him to provide employment to many youths. His farm produces honey and bee-hive frames. It provides entrepreneurship and supports market linkage, giving input on new technology for honey processing and extracting to farmers.

    While in the US, Oduntan founded Bee-Craft Consult,  with a vision to be a “worthy example for making a living through beekeeping, empowering others, and sustaining our natural environment.

    Speaking with The Nation, Oduntan said beekeeping is a thriving endeavour, which can help raise income level of local entrepreneurs and create employment for youths.

    He said he was ready to train more Nigerians on commercial beekeeping through online classes and hands-on demonstration classes.

    Since arriving in the US Oduntan’s work has led him to European countries, such as Germany, Italy and Austria, with exceptional beekeeping practices. He has expanded his knowledge and improved his skills, increasing his passion for beekeeping in Utah, US.

    Oduntan noted that while beekeeping has become more popular in recent years, it continues to be a profitable endeavour.

    Beside honey, he maintained that there are other streams of revenue connected to beekeeping.

    According to him, learning to manage the honey bee helps provide an income through  improved quality and quantity of produce.

    He added that learning to manage hives was critical for the sustainability of the business.

    Each beehive , he explained, could produce a lot of honey, but it depends on various factors, such as location, weather, temperature, pests, and local flora.

    According to him, with better management, some hives can produce larger amount.

    With proper management, Oduntan said a hive can become profitable, especially if the beekeeper is willing to consider other  streams of revenue.

    During trainings, Oduntan exposed participants to the potential of beeswax, which can be converted to products such as candles, soap, and lip balm.

    He also trains people on how to produce bee pollen,  which provides health-related benefits such as minimising  seasonal allergies,  treat osteoporosis, and serves as antioxidant.

    According to him, beekeepers should balance their costs and benefits, stressing that knowledge is important as beekeeping is changing faster.

    He urged entrepreneurs to read, attend beekeeping association meetings and classes, visit beekeeping websites, and establish a relationship with an experienced beekeeper.

    Oduntan is now trying new flavours and products,  improving quality analysis, providing additional beekeeping services, and investing in new equipment.

  • Co-operative holds entrepreneurship training

    Agropreneurs Co-operative Society (ACS) has trained its members on entrepreneurship.

    Its President, Adewale Tijani, reiterated the organisation’s commitment to the promotion of effective innovation that would offer solutions to challenges facing agriculture.

    He said the society decided to hold the workshop to boost wealth creation, especially among the youth and women.

    The programme enabled ACS to strengthen its bridging role to support start-up business and business development, especially in the agriculture sector.

    The group’s Vice-President, Wale Akintade, presented his success story to participants and shared his experience on how to establish a successful agro business.

    He said there were opportunities in the sector that could contribute to economic development and job creation.

    According to him, the society is committed to adding value to farmers and their produce by establishing accessible and affordable food processing centres for the conversation of farm raw produce to semi-finished and finished goods.

    Participants were urged to explore agribusiness opportunities, improve productivity and access to input and services.

    Entrepreneurs interested in starting agric businesses were trained on the business environment.

  • Creating wealth through online saving

    Tech Entrepreneurs are the economic pulse of the nation. They have created start-up fintech firms to promote savings and payment solutions using online marketplace, mobile apps, digital currencies, mobile wallets and wealth management platforms. Piggy bank is one start-up to as it encourages small savers to use its platform. DANIEL ESSIET reports

    Young and daring tech entrepreneurs are the economic engines of the nation. Most of them are in their early and late 20s. They are on a mission to change the way things are done; driving change through their innovations.

    One way they are effecting change is through financial technology (fintech), using mobile apps, digital currencies, electronic  wallets and wealth management to solve the problems of Nigerians. One start up to watch is piggy bank, a platform established to encourage Nigerians save small amount using devices such as WhatsApp.

    Founded in 2016 by Somto Ifezue, Odunayo Eweniyi and Joshua Chibueze, graduates of Covenant University, Piggybank.ng is positioned to fill a void for millions of Nigerians, who have no access to credit.

    Targeted at low-middle income savers, the fintech startup is an automated platform where savers manage their finances by depositing small amounts starting from as little as $1(N360) daily, weekly or monthly, depending on their ability.

    Savers can earn up to six per cent per year or 10.95 per cent per annum on the fixed deposit product called Safelock but can only withdraw funds once per quarter.

    Speaking with The Nation, Ifezue observed that there were still many of “unbanked” citizens in the country. Some of them don’t save because they live too far from a bank branch. Others don’t know the benefits of financial products.

    He said he and his colleagues created the platform, Piggybank.ng to offer ordinary people a safe way to save. They started the business with their savings.

    The platform is aimed at encouraging Nigerians to save little amounts, daily, weekly or monthly and restricts withdrawals until a convenient date. If one saves for 1000 days one receives instant upfront interest of up to 30 per cent.

    Chibueze said the startup would create a secure, technologically advanced, economically viable infrastructure and intuitive applications for clients.

    Chief Operating Officer, Miss Eweniyi hoped that more Nigerians would appreciate the intrinsic value of long-term savings and money management.

    Following their success, the startup has attracted seed funding of $1.1million  from high networth individuals, led by LeadPath Nigeria founder, Olumide Soyombo, and international and Pan-African investors, Village Capital and Ventures Platform. The company will deploy the venture capital (VC) investment for licence acquisition and product development, the platform owners said.Piggybank.ng has recorded 20 to 35 per cent growth in user traction over the past 12 months; primarily from peer-to-peer recommendations, its referral programme,stories, and grass-roots social media campaigns. The startup will also invest in additional marketing spend, to accelerate its growth trajectory.

  • How INTELS’ CSR touches lives, impacts communities in Niger Delta

    INTELS is a known leader in Nigeria’s oil and gas services sector. In its 35 years of operation in Nigeria, the company has built an enviable reputation as a competent, responsible and trusted investor in the country’s economy.

    The epitome of the company’s competence has been the manner it manages the multi-billion dollar investments in the Onne Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone in Rivers state, one of the largest of its kind in the world.

    In more ways than one, the company has demonstrated in practice that public-private partnership is possible in the management of Nigeria’s port facilities.

    The Onne Port has been transformed into a model and reference point for port management in Nigeria going by the commendable and exemplary way INTELS has managed the facility.

    Many have recommended the INTELS example as the model for PPP in port management in particular and other sectors of the country’s economy at large.

    Worthy of note is that the company is not only competent in technical operations, but equally a leader in community relations and people’s engagement. The company touches lives positively and impacts development in unique ways.

    Many focus on the company’s giant strides in the oil and gas services industry, particularly in ports management in Nigeria. But, its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) philosophy should actually be a model for companies operating in the Niger Delta region.

    Others seeking to institutionalise a conflict-free relationship with its host communities also have an invaluable lesson to learn.

    Being a result-oriented company focused on real impact, by utilising its resources, human and material, to execute beneficial and life-changing projects, not many would read about INTELS CSR initiatives on the pages of newspapers, but on the faces of the people and communities the company has impacted.

    INTELS’ achievements in various communities in the Niger Delta it operates are real and verifiable. They point to one fact: INTELS superior CSR philosophy brings real meaning worthy of emulation by others.

    In over 35 years of its existence in the Niger Delta, INTELS has not encountered any community action or protest against its operations. This, more than anything else, confers a significant validation of the positive impact of its CSR philosophy.

    In their reciprocal gesture, the host communities, which cut across Rivers, Delta, and Cross River States where INTELS has its indelible footprints, have equally adopted the company as a full-fledged worthy corporate citizen.

    The company’s sincere and open CSR approach has given the people a sense of trust and ownership in its operations.

    The company’s Integrated Partnership Approach (IPA) to CSR is predicated on three objective planks.

    First, to empower, in a sustainable way, the indigenes of INTELS’ host communities, through the provision of employment and improved welfare to the people.

    Second, to plan and execute integrated community development programmes with full community inputs and participation.

    Third, to adopt best practices that guarantee community friendly relationship and peaceful co-existence.

    In order to function properly, the model categorises stakeholders into three: company, government, and communities.

    Each of these stakeholders has respective roles and expectations in the overall success of the IPA strategy.

    This helps the communities to have a clear understanding of a sense of mutual expectation I from the people and communities, on the one hand, and the company on the other.

    One of the major benefits of the IPA is the opportunity it provides for the communities to determine and own executed projects.

    Unlike other linear CSR practices that allow the company to decide a project for the community, regardless of its relevance to the people, the IPA allows communities to decide what will deliver the maximum benefits for the greatest number of people.

    To provide a fair understanding INTELS’ IPA, let’s attempt an assessment of its success based on the three thematic areas of its underlining philosophy earlier outlined.

    In empowerment of indigenes of host communities, INTELS probably holds the aces for the best performing company in local content compliance among other players in the industry.

    Over 40% of all INTELS’ employees are from Rivers State, which hosts its operations headquarters, while over 60% of all its employees are from the Niger Delta region, with immense contributions to the development of the various communities.

    In this regard, the King of Onne, His Royal Highness, Hon. (Dr.) J.D Osaronu, in a letter to INTELS commended the company for transforming the community into a modern metropolis.

    In another instance, HRH further declared “the community told their young men and women to utilise their earnings from INTELS in a judicious manner to support the development of the community.”

    Perhaps, heeding the words of their elders, many of the indigenes of the host communities have built houses and initiated viable businesses through the income they earn from INTELS Nigeria Limited.

    As much as the company would love to employ all qualified and interested indigenes of the host communities, its biggest challenge has been availability of space to accommodate all at the same time.

    Hence, INTELS devised other sustainable means of creating employment for the unemployed in the communities.

    Three well-resourced empowerment programmes have been packaged to deliver the intended purpose.

    The Youth Skill Acquisition Programme (YSAP) is the company’s flagship initiative to assist in training indigenes and prepare them for possible employment with INTELS or any other company operating within the Onne Oil & Gas Free Trade Zone.

    This way, INTELS has contributed to the employability of the young minds in the communities.

    A similar programme is the Host Community Graduate Trainee Scheme (HCGTS) dedicated to training graduates undergoing internship with INTELS, with a possibility of the permanent employment after the programme.

    The trainings are specially tailored to empower participants in different areas of oil and gas services, including pipe welding, structural welding, marine engineering, mud engineering, AutoCad and other relevant specialisations.

    For those who may not be retained at the end of their programme, INTELS would equip them sufficiently to enable them start a business, or prepare them to become employable by other employers in the industry.

    In economic empowerment, INTELS has wholly embraced the local content philosophy of the federal government in a manner that truly empowers the people.

    The company continually improves the lives of locals by awarding contracts to capable members of the communities to support their personal businesses.

    As a matter of policy, INTELS reserves some community developmental projects to qualified contractors in the communities.

    A typical example is the road project at Rumuokwurusi where the Landlord families registered a company with elected members of the various families as directors, specifically to execute the project.

    So far, apart from a large number of employees, 40% of whom are from the host communities, INTELS has created over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs in various communities across the Niger Delta.

    The ultimate mission is to ensure that noemployable indigene stays without job.

     

     

    INTELS has also contributed greatly to the academic progress of the host communities through scholarship schemes that have benefited many deserving young and bright minds.

    Often, it is said that an educated mind is empowered to think for himself and equipped to make rational and informed decisions.

    INTELS’ scholarship programmes are also merged with social activities for the youth in the communities in order to channel the energy of the young ones into positive causes.

    Such activities include sporting events, traditional festivals and carnivals and other activities that encourage togetherness, peace and unity.

    Besides, INTELS also has a well-funded football academy to provide the requisite training for aspiring footballers from the host communities.

    In the area of project execution, INTELS has delivered top quality projects in communities where it operates.

    Projects are products of consultation, communication and partnership. They are agreed upon and selected based not only on their capacity to deliver immediate and long-term benefits, but also provide collective succour for the whole community rather than few individuals.

    Such projects must hold the potentials to bring multiplier effect on not only the community, but also its economy.

    Likewise, the sustainability of a project is also a major consideration. The company’s CSR philosophy discourages execution of projects that would be difficult to maintain and sustain years down the line, and eventually become a burden to the community.

    Some projects executed by INTELS in various communities across three States in Niger Delta include construction and furnishing of primary and secondary school blocks; provision of befitting civic centres, town halls and palaces; and construction of roads and drainage projects.

    Other projects are water boreholes, ultra-modern markets, provision of electricity transformers and generators, and construction of public conveniences to support the hygiene in the communities.

    In response to the healthcare challenges of the communities, INTELS in partnership with Rivers State government introduced the Mobile Clinic, to take healthcare services to the people’s doorsteps.

    In 2013 alone, after four years of its establishment, the Mobile Clinic had provided consultations for over 70,000 individuals across Niger-Delta communities.

    Finally, people aspiring for greatness are often advised to identify giants and ride on their shoulders, because it is a wiser strategy to emulate those who have weathered the storm and are still standing as giants.

    In CSR practice in Nigeria, and especially the Niger Delta, INTELS stands out as a colossus and giant all other companies should emulate.

    The company has shown it is possible to do business in any society, excel and maintain a trustworthy and sincere relationship with members of the community.

    In all, INTELS is not just a leader, but heads and shoulders above others in Nigeria. INTELS’ CSR feat cannot be captured in a single publication of this nature. It’s a phenomenon that can only be appreciated by experience.

  • Boosting growth prospect for SMEs, artisans

    Lagos is positioning itself as one of the leading economies in Africa amid a positive economic scenario. To sustain this, its Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment has created programmes to support artisans and entrepreneurs with the potential to build competitive businesses, reports DANIEL ESSIET.

    While Nigeria’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) continue to create numerous jobs and boost the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), they face a myriad of challenges, which always hamper their growth.

    About 70 per cent of jobs created across the economy are said to have come from SMEs.  However, they are hindered by inadequate capital, limited market access, poor infrastructure, inadequate knowledge and skills and rapid changes in technology. Some of them have closed shops, while the existing ones are complaining about a hostile business operating environment. Consequently, SMEs have shown mixed results in their performance in recent years.  This has attracted government’s attention to consider developing policies and initiatives that will enable them survive, make profit and create jobs.

    Lagos is, however, taking steps to remove the obstacles on the way of SMEs’ growth. Addressing a ministerial press briefing in commemoration of the third year of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration, Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs   Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf said the government is taking steps to create  a  business environment, which enables  entrepreneurs  to  create new businesses  and  sustain  them from  start-up stage to growth and maturity.

    To close the financing gaps, she said the government, in collaboration with partners, has created initiatives to expand access to financial services among small enterprises.  Funders include Ibile Microfinance and the Lagos State Employment Trust fund.

    As the digital world rapidly evolves, making use of online marketplaces is increasingly integral to the success of Lagos’ diverse community of artisans and small businesses.

    To this end, the  state created the artisan virtual market platform project, an online portal, to connect skilled artisans and tradesmen with customers.

    The portal, she also added, is designed to address challenges faced by those in this sector by facilitating access to market and finance.

    Factored into the platform, she noted, are features for skills improvement, including training-vocational, numeracy and literacy to bridge the deficit in skills gap, which has plagued the sector.

    Working with the ministry towards the actualisation of the initiative is Flutter Wave Company, which is developing the platform/application and Microsoft Nigeria that is to host the platform in the cloud.

    Others include a paint manufacturer, Kansai Plascon Nigeria, which   is committed to training painters, who will be on the platform while Ibile Microfinance Bank and Sterling Bank are handling the payment gateway.

    The platform, according to her, will have tools that will expose the artisans to avenues for accessing loans through LSETF and other financial institutions. The Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) is to capture the artisans for the LASRRA number required for the platform.

    Under the Tradesmen and Artisans Capacity Building Scheme, she disclosed that 1000 artisans were re-trained last year in collaboration with the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB).

    The scheme, she explained, was to equip the participants with technical and entrepreneurial skills with a view to enhanceing their efficiency, competitiveness and productivity. It was held for eight weekends across the state in five centres of Ado-Soba, Agidingbi, Epe, Ikotun and Ikorodu.

    The state government recognises that the emergence of new technologies has created an opportunity to address the needs of society to attain sustainable growth and development.

     

    Techpreneurs

    The commissioner said the growing number of techpreneurs, which is taking root in the state, is strongly drawing the attention of capitalists and more established firms to the state.

    To this end, she said the state government, through the collaboration of Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Ibile Holdings and other relevant stakeholders would be establishing an ICT hub in Yaba.

    She said the government has collaborated with Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (JHU-SAIS) to explore opportunities in the area of youth entrepreneurship and technological innovation in the state.

    The partnership, she explained, will focus on convening a forum to give techpreneurs opportunity to pitch to an audience that will include, but not limited to venture capitalists, industry experts, United States based techpreneurs and the academia.

    The collaboration was aimed at leveraging work JHU-SAIS is doing as regards sub-Saharan Africa in the area of youth entrepreneurship and technology and bridge the divide across tech ecosystem.

    Riding on a series of engagements with JHU-SAIS, Microsoft, General Electric, among others, an ICT summit was held between  April 23 and 26, 2018 in Washington DC. She  said the government sponsored 15 Lagos based techpreneurs and start-ups to participate at the event.

    The theme of the conference was: “The Role of Technoprenuer in Lagos State: An emerging Smart City”.

    She said the  Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment in collaboration with the Ministry of Health has designed a framework for the development of Health SMEs in the state and also secured approval of the State Executive Council for the programmes implementation which is about to commence.

     

    Health SMEs

    Health SMEs, the commissioner said is to collaborate with private sector to deliver quality health care services through the provision of financial support with the aim of creating wealth and employment.

    The development of Health SMEs, she added, is geared towards managing the Primary Health Centres (PHCs) that are non-functional to sustain the tempo of quality and affordable Health Care delivery to the  people of the state.

    She said the Ministry of Health has listed 45 under-utilised Primary Health Care (PHC) centres to kick start the programme with 12 private health service providers already identified and ready for takeoff.

    On graduate internship programme (GIP), the commissioner said last year’s programme was a pilot scheme with implementation in phases of 500 internship placement. She explained that 1800 candidates were screened while 910 were deployed to various private organisations.

    She said 460 interns were confirmed and accepted for the GIP. Out of those confirmed, 57were given either full employment or extension of internship for possible future employment with the organisation.

    In continuation of the project, she said a breakfast meeting was held in March with prospective employers and off-takers on the activities planned for this year’s internship programme.

    The programme, according to her, was facilitated by Employment Clinic International, with 100 organisations in attendance that have shown interest to off-take the Interns.

    Based on feedback from last year’s exercise, she said the GIS programme would be extended to six months, one month for training and induction; and five months internship with employers for the interns to learn more from the organisation they have been assigned, which might increase their chances of being retained.

    She said the ministry is planning a mindset re-orientation programme for 2,000 unemployed youths this year. The programme will include, employability skills training, career counseling, effective C.V writing, developing effective interview skills and job hunting strategy for the invited interns and Job fair as soon as possible. This is to prepare the candidate for this year’s GIS programme. 1,000 best participants on the programme would be giving Internship placement in the year as they would have been prepared for the work place through the training.

  • Six Nigerian innovators for continental tech fiesta

    Fifty innovators have been selected to showcase their solutions at the Africa Innovation Summit (AIS) 2018 holding from June 6 to 8 in Kigali, Rwanda. Six of them are Nigerians. DANIEL ESSIET profiles the six Nigerians for the summit.

    Six Nigerians have been selected among 50 innovators chosen for Africa Innovation Summit (AIS) holding next month. According to the organisers, the forum serves as a platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue and a catalyst for coalition and action towards building robust innovation ecosystems in Africa.

    Now in its second year, the AIS seeks to showcase innovative and disruptive solutions for major challenges facing Africa, which include energy access, water, food insecurity and health systems.

    They are Oluwatomi Ayorinde (Mobile Forms);  Victor Boyle-Komolafe’s Ojoro Kitchen; Ifeoluwa Olokode, promoter of LifeBank; Stephen Oyebode (my-medicines.com); Bola Lawal (ScholarX) and Dr Ebinabo Ofrey (GeroCare Solutions Ltd).

    LifeBank delivers blood and essential medical supplies to hospitals using a data, smart logistics, mobile phones, motorcycles, and high technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and block chain. Through its platform, LifeBank mobilises people for blood donations, takes inventory of blood available, and deliver blood in the right condition to the point of need. Ifeoluwa Olokode oversees Partnerships and Growth team at LifeBank.

    Oluwatomi Ayorinde co-ordinates mobile forms app that assists users collect data including pictures, GPS locations, sketches, audio and video, with the platform working both online and offline. Clients specify their requirements and a network of field agents in the specified location will execute tasks and record and submit data, through the power of mobile app technology.

    Ojoro Kitchen is on a mission to make cooking easy and convenient. Ojoro Kitchen products have eliminated the need to peel and chop  Garlic, Ginger or Chili. Ojoro Kitchen products are sourced from local smallholder farmers and processed within 72 hours of harvest. From the consumer end, Ojoro solves the problem of access to fresh, healthy, vegetables at the most convenience.

    Stephen Oyebode’s my-medicines.com is a business-to-consumer online medicines ordering platform with operations in Nigeria, and commencing soon in two East African countries.  My-medicines.com offers access to a large pool of genuine medicines, devices and health services through crowd-sourcing at any time or place from reliable sources, while ensuring convenience and availability for the user and safety of the medicines at all times. The platform also comes pre-enabled with a reminder functionality called a pill-reminder to help improve drug compliance of the patients and improve treatment outcomes.

    Bola Lawal ScholarX aims to solve access to education problem in Africa, caused by poverty and other social economic inequalities. After downloading the App from Google Play store or iTunes, users create an account using valid email address or phone number, and then search their education opportunity by the following parameters: State, Faculty, College, School and/or CGPA/Level. The app then automatically provides the list of scholarships that matches the user’s qualification.

    Dr. Ebinabo Ofrey’s GeroCare is a subscription-based service that entitles the elderly to regular doctor visits in their homes.

    Families of the elderly can follow their care real time from anywhere in the world, using the GeroCare mobile application.

  • Entrepreneur plans to train handicrafts online

    A young entrepreneur in Lagos,  Catherine Ajueyishi will on Monday, May 28, begin an online training on handicrafts.
    According to Ajueyishi, who is the Chief Executive Officer of  Aracathy Creations, said the training will run till June 1st.
    She said the aim is to enable others learn how to do some handicrafts by themselves.
    According to her,  the goal is to reach out to the general public, “Aracathy Creations decided to create an online [whatsapp] platform for training on handicrafts, which includes training participants on how to make Crochet hair style; how to grow the natural hair, how to make satin bonnet cap and turban head band among others.
    She said that those interested re are to join the WhatsApp number,  09034470183, noting that N500 will bd paid to participate in the training.

  • Germany trains 10,000 youths in vocational education

    The German government trained 10,000 youths in vocational education between June 2016 and this month, an official of the German National Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Mr Horst Bauem-feind, has said.

    He made this known in Abeokuta at the closing ceremony of the programme.

    Bauemfeind explained that this was part of the 1974 bilateral agreement between the two countries.

    He said the project, organised by GIZ and implemented under the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TEVET) programme, held in Ogun and Plateau states for two years.

    The GIZ official explained that 4,782 youths were trained in Ogun State while 5218 in Plateau, adding that 39 per cent of the beneficiaries were women.

    He recalled that his team at the inception of the project in 2016, toured vocational centres and technical colleges in Ogun to identify training needs and subsequently developed programme strategies.

    The German explained that the training focused on the construction and agricultural sectors with modules developed for specific areas, such as soil testing, masonry, entrepreneurship, pedagogy and irrigation.

    He explained that training guides had also been developed for the modules and would soon be distributed to partners and other stakeholders for sustainability.

    “We believe that the training will be sustained after we might have pulled out because we have laid the necessary foundation by exposing the beneficiaries to the German entrepreneurship training model known as “Creating Competency for Competition” (C3).

    The National TEVET expert for Ogun, Mr Ibrahim Aliyu, said the team faced the challenge of convincing the youth of the need to acquire vocational skills and to adapt to global best practices.

    Aliyu added that motivation for training for the youth had been funding, adding that the financial support from partners had also been very low.

    He said the feedback from the field and the testimonies of the beneficiaries had, however, proven that the training had been quite impactful.

    “When you consider the total participation, better skills acquired, improved income for beneficiaries and the total multiplier effects among other parameters, one can safely conclude that the programme has been successful,” he said.

    He disclosed that the team had secured approval of the German government to run a second phase of the programme from another four years from July to June 2022.

    Aliyu said the second phase of the training, which would still run in Ogun and Plateau, would be expanded to cover more areas in the agricultural and construction sectors.

     

  • 100 young business owners get training

    The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has trained 100 Young Business Owners  (Y-BON) on various vocations and entrepreneurial skills.

    Its Director-General, Mr Dikko Radda,  said in Osogbo that the selected young business owners would be given grants for work space and equipment to enable them strive and improve their competencies and competitiveness.

    Radda, represented by Mrs Chibuzor Osoah, said the Y-BON project would help in reducing the rate of unemployment, created more jobs and also enable entrepreneurs to be successful in their businesses.

    “The beneficiaries will also be given support packages, which is aimed at empowering them to overcome some challenges which SMEs faces,” he said.

    According to him, the competition in the global markets have further stifled the operations and growth of domestic SMEs.

    The DG  said the young business owners from Ilesa and Osogbo were  screened with an aptitude test to know their level of preparedness and commitment towards the projects.

    The state Manager, Dr Samuel Adebola urged the beneficiaries to show commitment toward the success of the projects, adding that it would help in creating more jobs for the unemployed youths, who are not beneficiaries.

    Adebola, however, said  the agency would serve as watchdog to ensure that the grants given to the beneficiaries were used well.

  • Online platform for groceries makes its debut

    A young entrepreneur and Co-founder & CEO, Mart.ng, Frank Umeadi, has launched an online platform for selling groceries, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Co-founder & CEO, Mart.ng, Frank Umeadi has been working on a project to bring grocery retailers online. With Nigerians ordering clothing, shoes, electronics, and other items online, he believes selling groceries online will be easy.

    Besides, grocery business is huge with the potential for job creation.

    Today, Umeadi has fulfilled his dream. Mart,ng is a busy online platform to buy groceries.

    Also, the cost of owning an online store is small compared to renting a big shop.

    For now, he is catering for only customers in Abuja due to some constraints. But there is hope of expansion once he overcomes the problem.

    To boost patronage, the company employs shoppers who live close to these towns.

    The products on the website include fresh fruits, vegetables, household items, toiletries, drinks, beverages, health and beauty products, food cupboard, babies and child care products, office supplies, and hot foods.