Eight Jigawa entrepreneurs win N2m grant to boost businesses

Eight out of 80 young entrepreneurs trained by the Centre for Information Technology and Development have received a N2 million grant to support their businesses.

The initiative, supported by the British Council and King’s Trust International, was part of an eight-week employability and entrepreneurship training programme held at Manpower Development Institute, Dutse, the Jigawa State capital.

Youth unemployment and underemployment remain pressing challenges in northern Nigeria, where many young people face limited opportunities for formal jobs.

To tackle this, several organisations have been investing in training, seed funding, and mentorship to help youths develop entrepreneurial skills and self-reliance.

CITAD, a Kano-based NGO, has, over the years, been active in digital literacy, entrepreneurship training, and youth empowerment programmes across northern states.

Speaking during the closing of the event on Friday, the British Council’s Programme Manager for Non-formal Education – Youth Enterprise and Sustainable Peace, Dr Yahya Janga, commended the Jigawa State Government and the Federal University, Dutse, for their support in making the project a success.

“Jigawa has provided endless support for the actualisation of this entrepreneurship project. We also commend the Federal University Dutse for helping to identify qualified youths for the training,” Janga said.

He urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunity to improve their skills and economic standing.

The Executive Director of CITAD, Malam Yunusa Zakariya’u, represented by the Project Coordinator, Mr Isa Garba, explained that the project was part of the British Council’s Youth Connect Programme.

“In Jigawa, 80 young people between the ages of 18 and 30 drawn from across the state participated in the training, and eight eventually received the seed grants after a pitch competition.

“This is a milestone in translating training into business opportunities, especially in areas such as digital skills, ICT, marketing, and soft skills,” Zakariya’u said.

He added that mentorship, peer learning, and investor linkages were key components of the project aimed at encouraging youth-led innovation and self-reliance.

On his part, the state Commissioner for Information, Youth and Sports, Mr Sagir Musa, represented by the Deputy Director of Youths, Mr Abbas Zakari, praised the organisers, while reiterating the government’s commitment to youth empowerment.

“Our administration has given priority to empowering young people, which is why you can see results across many sectors. We are ready to partner with organisations that share this vision,” Musa said.

He, however, urged the winners to make proper use of the grant and share their knowledge with peers who could not attend the training.

It was learnt that 29 youths pitched their business ideas, with eight emerging as winners of N250,000 each.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr Mohammed Bello, a youth living with disability, said he planned to invest the grant wisely.

“I urge youths with disabilities to learn skills and not depend only on white-collar jobs. The government must also provide avenues for us to survive,” he said.

Another recipient, Miss Fiddausi Hamza, who acquired skills in epoxy resin art, said the grant would enable her to turn her training into a business.

The beneficiaries collectively commended the British Council, King’s Trust International, and CITAD for the support, saying the initiative would help them become self-reliant.

online reports that the Jigawa model was designed to blend international best practices with local insights to foster sustainable entrepreneurship and contribute to Nigeria’s development.