CITAD Empower Youths with Skills, Grants at Sustainable Enterprise Challenge
By Mustapha Salisu
The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) celebrated the successful completion of its Youth Sustainable Enterprise Challenge Project with a pitching competition and graduation ceremony for 60 young beneficiaries in Kano.
PRIME TIME NEWS gathered, the collaborative effort, partnered by the British Council and Prince’s Trust International (PTI), aims to equip young Nigerians with the skills and resources to become successful entrepreneurs.
Isah Garba, Senior Programmes Officer at CITAD, explained the project’s focus on nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset and empowering young people to create value-driven businesses.
“The initiative is segmented into four areas: Sustainable, Environmental Friendly, Creative, and Innovative Business Ideas,” Garba said, highlighting CITAD’s goal of reducing unemployment by nurturing young employers.
He added that sixteen participants presented their business pitches, with eight emerging as winners. The top performers received awards and crucial startup grants to launch their ventures.
“We expect participants to put their knowledge into practice and utilize the grants wisely to ensure the sustainability of their businesses,” Garba emphasized.
He admonished that CITAD will further support graduates by connecting them with loan providers and offering guidance on securing additional funding.
Also in his remarks, Yahaya Janga, Programme Manager for Non-Formal Education Youth Connects at the British Council, echoed the project’s significance.
He commended CITAD for leading the initiative in Kano, alongside Enugu and Lagos as pilot states. Janga also expressed gratitude to PTI for their partnership.
Janga encouraged participants to leverage their newly acquired skills and networks to create positive change in their communities and contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth.
He emphasized the British Council’s call for public and private sector investment in these young entrepreneurs, advocating for the project’s expansion across Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Rukkaya Usman Ibrahim, a project beneficiary selected for a UK trip, shared her business idea – a “Meal Kit Delivery Service” – aims to simplify meal preparation for working-class women while promoting healthy, local cuisine and combating malnutrition.
Rukkaya expressed her deep appreciation to CITAD and its partners for equipping her with the necessary skills and networks. She pledged to utilize these tools effectively to become a self-reliant entrepreneur and future employer.
