BATNF opens 10m grant application for NYSC members

The Farmers for the Future (F4F), an agricultural entrepreneurship initiative to empower young people with promising agri-business ventures, has called on the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to apply for N10 million grants.

This initiative, created and funded by the British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) Foundation, a charitable organisation in Nigeria in collaboration with the NYSC, is part of the foundation’s commitment to fostering youth engagement in sustainable agriculture.

The foundation said the initiative which targets the NYSC, aims to make agribusiness attractive, reduce youth unemployment, drive youth engagement in agriculture, and foster economic development.

According to the BATN Foundation, “All participants are required to be NYSC members actively in their service year. Eligibility will be verified during the shortlisting and selection process.

“Interested applicants must complete the application on the BATN Foundation Mobile app, which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or the iOS App Store.

The application for the Farmers for the Future program starts on August 26, 2024.

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“This programme presents a unique opportunity for young agripreneurs to train and empower themselves in agro-practices, reduce youth unemployment, and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s agricultural future.

The scholarship covers all direct course expenses, including course materials, data support, and post-program assistance.

It also includes a bootcamp session, which further enhances participants’ practical knowledge and skills, preparing them to confidently pitch their ideas and implement their business strategies,” the foundation said.

Oludare Odusanya, general manager of BATN Foundation, led the BATNF team recently to meet with the new Director of Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, SAED, Sunday Robert Aroni to explore further collaboration between BATN Foundation and NYSC.

Also at the visit were DD Empowerment, Alphons Zakaria; Assistant Director SAED, Jumai Wagne; and DSAED, Delphina Eze.

Speaking during the visit, Odusanya said: “This partnership with NYSC is critical to our mission of fostering youth engagement in sustainable agriculture. By equipping youths with the skills and resources they need, we are empowering youths to be job creators and helping to secure Nigeria’s agricultural future.”

Echoing this sentiment, the new director of SAED, Sunday Robert Aroni, added: “We are excited to deepen our collaboration with BATN Foundation. This initiative is a powerful tool for youth empowerment and entrepreneurship, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our young corps members.”

Hope Moses-Ashike

Hope Moses-Ashike is an Associate Editor, Banking and Finance, with more than a decade of experience reporting on Nigeria’s financial system and broader economy. She closely tracks market movements, monetary policy decisions, company disclosures, regulatory actions, economic indicators, and global developments, and interprets what they mean for businesses, investors, policymakers, and households. Her reporting helps readers understand complex issues such as inflation trends, foreign exchange market dynamics, interest rate decisions, bank performance, and investment risks. She also covers major international events and periodically travels to Washington, D.C., to report on the World Bank/IMF Spring and Annual Meetings. Her dedication to financial journalism has earned her multiple recognitions and invitations to high-level professional development programmes. She is an alumna of the International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP) in the United States and holds an Advanced Financial Journalism Certificate from the Press Association Training in London, UK. Her other notable achievements include completing the Lagos Business School CMC Programme, the Bloomberg Media Africa Initiative Programme, and a Master Class in Journalism at Rhodes University in South Africa.