The federal government has trained 162 youths in the Southern geopolitical zones on entrepreneurship skills in a bid to minimise unemployment in the country.

The youths were drawn from 17 states in the zone.

They were trained for two weeks on how to generate, design and write a bankable business plan at the National Youth Centre, Ode Omu, Ayedaade Local Government Area of Osun.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the training, the minister of youth development, Jamila Ibrahim, said that the training was part of the federal government’s efforts to minimise youth unemployment in the country.

Represented by Olugbenga Momoh, director of enterprise development and promotion in the ministry, Ibrahim said the ability to generate and write a bankable business plan was a critical skill in today’s competitive business environment.

She said that the knowledge and skills impacted into the trainees would serve as essential building blocks for business success.

Ms Ibrahim said the training was put in place by the federal government when it was realised that many of the youths did not have bankable business plans to access loans to finance their business ideas.

She said the training would assist the youth in generating and writing bankable business plans, which would help them apply for loans from the Youth Investment Fund put in place by the federal government and other financial institutions.

The minister, who noted that without workable business plans, the youth might not be able to access the needed funds for their businesses, said the training was an eye-opener to them on how to succeed in the competitive business environment in the country.

“The main problem facing the youth is unemployment and the federal government has realised this, hence putting different measures in place to minimise youth unemployment to the barest.

“One such measure is the Youth Investment Fund, which youths with bankable business plans can apply to finance their business plans,” she said.

Ms Ibrahim urged the trainees to maximise all that they had been taught and also train others.

“As you leave this workshop, I encourage you to apply what you have learnt with passion and determination, continue to refine your business ideas, test your assumptions and seek feedback from mentors and peers.

“Together as Nigerian Youths, you can build a thriving community of entrepreneurs who are well prepared to make a lasting impact,” she said.

In her remarks, Itohan Odigie, the training coordinator, said that the programme was entrepreneurship training on how to write a bankable business plan for youths.

Ms Odigie said that the trainees were drawn from 17 states from the Southern geopolitical zones.

One of the trainees, Fathia Adedotun, from Lagos state, described the two weeks as an amazing experience.

Ms Adedotun, who commended the federal government for the opportunity, said that the training had opened her eyes to writing a bankable business plan.

Participants were issued certificates.

(NAN)