The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has made known its commitment to help Nigeria improve its ailing economy through a proposed entrepreneurship training scheme. The scheme will benefit three hundred (300) Nigerian entrepreneurs, drawn specifically from the six North Eastern states that have been affected by Boko Haram insurgency.
This is a followup of the UN agency’s first phase of the Entrepreneurship Training Programme (ENTP) which trained three hundred entrepreneurs in Internally Displaced Persons’ camps in Borno, Edo, Delta, Adamawa, Yobe and Benue states.
Ms Mizuho Yokoi, UNDP’s Head, Sub-Office in Maiduguri said the initiative is necessary, especially at a time when the Nigerian business environment is in need of knowledgeable entrepreneurs. We are concerned about the economic well-being of nigeria and as such took out time to give each of every trainee the needed skills and innovations for the survival of entrepreneurship across the country.
She stated that “knowledge is to the survival of entrepreneurship and that was what undp has given in borno, yobe and adamawa and intended giving to 150 others in Adamawa, Edo and Benue states. it is also a key to successful entrepreneurship. an entrepreneur needs to constantly learn and apply the knowledge learn to the business”.
Unemployment is a serious problem in Nigeria. A National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report shows that 40.0% of Nigerians were either completely unemployed or underemployed as at the third quarter of 2017. What this means, therefore, is that every effort aimed at ameliorating the unemployment menace is a welcome development.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has particularly shown demonstrated effort in this regard. The agency’s Country Director, Samuel Bwalia had earlier in February hinted on the partnership with the Federal Government which he said will equip at least one million Nigerians with entrepreneurial skills to create jobs for themselves, employ others and better the economy.
How the Entrepreneurship Training Programme will improvethe economy
Entrepreneurship is one of the ways undertaken by countries towards reducing unemployment and eradicating poverty. Therefore, giving Nigerians the necessary entrepreneurial skills is one of the surest ways to boost productivity, create employment and wealth. In the words of Muzuho Yokoi, “UNDP is in this to fight poverty and build the economy of Nigeria because entrepreneurs provide jobs and improve lives of many people. And by giving lives of entrepreneurs you have assisted many to live above the poverty line, which is N700 a day.”
Source Nairametrics
