BoI to train 1,200 youths in business management

The Bank of Industry is set to train 1,200 young entrepreneurs nationwide in business and management skills.

According to the Acting Managing Director, BoI, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, the training, tagged, “Youth Entrepreneurship Support Programme”, is another initiative of the development bank that is designed to address youth unemployment in Nigeria.

Speaking during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with entrepreneurship capacity building facilitators for the programme in the BoI office recently, Olagunju disclosed that the programme entailed equipping youths with the requisite entrepreneurial knowledge and skills as well as funding their business plans.

According to him, this will enable them to be self-employed and manage their own businesses.

He said, “Participants will be drawn from young aspiring entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 years, with innovative ideas who must have a minimum educational qualification of an Ordinary National Diploma or its equivalent.

“Ten thousand online applications will be solicited nationwide, out of which 2,000 will be selected for the online training component of the YES programme.

“Applicants will register online and will be expected to provide accurate answers to questions. Only top 1,200 online participants will qualify for the in-class training programme annually.”

According to the bank, the in-class training pogramme, which will be delivered by training institutions accredited by the bank, will take place two times a year at selected centres spread across the six geo-political zones of the country including Lagos and Abuja.

“Consequently, 600 participants shall be trained at the designated locations twice a year,” the BoI acting MD said.