In its drive to address youth unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria, EnterpriseNGR, a member-led advocacy group has empowered over 100 young interns through its Youth of Enterprise (YOE) Internship Programme.
The graduation ceremony of its second cohort which took place on Wednesday brought together top employers in the Financial and Professional Services sector, senior human resource professionals, industry leaders, graduating interns, and numerous aspiring Nigerian graduates eager to forge successful career paths, according to a statement.
“This event serves as a testament to the YOE Internship Programme’s impact in equipping Nigerian youths with the skills and opportunities needed to thrive in today’s dynamic job market,” the statement said.
In her opening remarks, Obi Ibekwe, CEO of EnterpriseNGR, lauded the graduating cohort for their unwavering dedication and perseverance throughout the rigorous programme.
She said from the initial application stage to the Graduate Aptitude Test, orientation, and eventual placements in leading firms, each step demanded resilience and determination, culminating in the successful graduation of today’s cohort.
Bola Adeeko, group director of Special Projects at Flour Mills of Nigeria underscored the importance of resilience, urging the graduating interns to embrace setbacks as opportunities for growth and to uphold the values instilled during their time in the programme.
Chapel Hill Denham, a founding member of EnterpriseNGR and sponsor of the Cohort II awards, was represented by Adaora Obikili, head of retail products.
She reflected on her career journey which she began as an intern over two decades ago, and emphasised the benefits of long-term investments as the pathway to financial freedom and a fulfilling retirement.
Announcing the top three performing groups and the overall best graduating intern, Ibekwe of EnterpriseNGR, expressed gratitude to Chapel Hill Denham for sponsoring the awards.
She commended the groups for their outstanding presentations and presented the winners with gifts: the group in third place received N50,000 worth of investments for each group member, while the group in second place received N100,000 worth of investments per member.
The winning group and the overall best-graduating intern received investments worth N250,000 each.
