UNIDO trains 42,000 Nigerian entrepreneurs from 2016 to date

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

The United Nations Industrial Organization (UNIDO) has trained 42,000 Nigerian entrepreneurs between 2016 and now.

The National Project Coordinator, UNIDO HP LIFE, Mr Francis Ukoh, said this during a-5 Day Training Programme for SMEDAN officials in Uyo on Wednesday.

According to Ukoh, the organisation has so far empowered about 418 trainers and 10 master trainers in Nigeria to support the training for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

He stated that the core function of UNIDO was mainly to strengthen and empower institutions of government, adding that they have supported various institutions including universities and SMEs support institutions across the country.

He said: “Today’s programme by UNIDO is to facilitate job creations, enterprise creations and providing people with business skills to develop a bankable business plan to be able to carry out their businesses in a most effective and productive manner.

“We have conducted several pieces of training of such in so many states in Nigeria. We have supported so many institutions including universities and many SMEs support institutions.

“So far in Nigeria, we have empowered about 418 trainers and 10 master trainers to support the training programme for SMEs in the country.

“Through those directly trained by us, so far, we have trained over 15,000 people from the face-to-face training, and we have had over 27,000 people accessed the online training programme because we always divide the training into two phases.

“This is good enough because we hope these institutions to ensure that those trained have access to funds particularly, Federal Government intervention funds.”

Also speaking the Lead Master Trainer for UNIDO HP LIFE project, Prof. Sani Garba, said that the initiative was to support Nigeria in addressing the issue of unemployment, which has become a critical factor in the country’s national development.

Garba said the organisation was interested in young Nigerians, ranging from those with no business ideas to those who have a business plan, but no capital to run to it.

“Our target group here are young Nigerians who do not have any business idea, our intention is to provide training for them so that they will be able to generate business ideas.

“We are also interested in young Nigerians who have their own business ideas, but they don’t know how to translate the idea into a business plan and those with a business plan but with no capital to run it.”

Garba advised young entrepreneurs against starting businesses with bank loans as it might not be cost-effective for beginners.

He urged the government to always make policies that favour business entrepreneurs to grow the economy.

The Principal Data Processing Officer of SMEDAN, Mr Anthony Muoboghae commended UNIDO for their effort in equipping young Nigerian entrepreneurs with particularly, business ideas.

He said that by building the capacity of SMEDAN, they would deliver the knowledge acquired during the training to young entrepreneurs in the state.