In order to live in the largest economy in Africa, young people without jobs have adopted five key methods, according to an analysis by Jobberman, a Nigerian job directory and career platform last year.
The methods include hustle, assistance from family and friends, parental stipends, borrowing, and partner support.
According to a World Bank report on Nigeria’s poverty assessment, some households have started using risky coping mechanisms, the most noticeable of which include cutting back on food intake and schooling.
Nigeria is at the bottom of the Global Skills Report ranking for 2023 in Africa. War-torn Somalia performed noticeably better than the continent’s most populous country.
However entrepreneurial skills have been known to change the fortunes of many youths remarkably.
Currently, one of the supporters of entrepreneurship skills acquisition for sustainable living is MTN Foundation which has again launched another round of its ICT and Business Skills training programme.
The capacity-building programme which currently accepting applications, is aimed at young business owners and entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35.
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Being youth development program, 3000 young entrepreneurs will receive training during this sixth phase, which will be conducted through a five-week online programme in collaboration with Microsoft and Meta. The top 300 competitors will get an equipment grant worth N90,000,000 at the conclusion of the training. The ICT training’s objective is to give young people in Nigeria the technological know-how they need to establish long-lasting enterprises there.
Odunayo Sanya, Executive Secretary of the MTN Foundation, commented on the ICT and business skills training saying, “SMEs are the backbone of every sustainable economy, and as a technology company, we are committed to empowering young entrepreneurs in Nigeria through capacity building and funding. We are constantly seeking ways to bridge the gap between our youths and the skills they require to thrive in a digital world. We will continue to partner with other competent organisations to bridge this gap.”
The MTN Foundation has successfully completed five phases of the ICT and Business Skills programme since its inception, working in collaboration with Oracle, KPMG, IBM, Digital Bridge Institute, CISCO, Google, Meta, and Microsoft. The training has been implemented in 16 states across Nigeria.
Young entrepreneurs in the states of Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Kebbi, Niger, and Yobe would be the focus of the sixth phase of the ICT and business skills training. Before entries end on August 18, 2023, eligible and qualified candidates are urged to visit http://www.mtn.ng/mtnf-ict/ and register.
