The Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF) has called for a practical and sustainable approach to youth enterprise financing in Northern Nigeria.

The foundation said access to finance should go beyond having promising business ideas to developing credible, sustainable and investment-ready enterprises.

The director-general of the SABMF, Abubakar Umar, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Kaduna.

The statement said the call was made at its August 2026 Monthly Virtual Mentorship Webinar, themed: “From Business Idea to Bankable Enterprises.”

The webinar was delivered by Dr Haruna Jumare, director of finance and administration at SABMF, who examined barriers preventing youths from developing finance-ready enterprises.

It said Northern Nigeria had no shortage of ideas, creativity and entrepreneurial potential, but lacked adequate enterprise structures, evidence, discipline and capacity.

“Capital is not the starting point. It is a consequence of becoming investable,” the foundation said.

It identified agriculture and agribusiness, digital economy, manufacturing and processing, and creative and cultural industries as areas offering opportunities to young entrepreneurs.

The foundation, however, stressed that youths should be supported to build enterprises that can create jobs, expand value chains, and survive beyond their initial stages.

The presentation identified poor business records, commingling of personal and business finances and weak business plans among factors limiting youths’ access to finance.

Other challenges included limited knowledge of financing options and lack of formalisation among many young businesses.

It said many entrepreneurs approached financiers with passion and ideas but lacked evidence of market demand, profitability, cash flow and management capacity.

The foundation therefore advocated Business Development Support Services, including entrepreneurship training, mentorship, bookkeeping and financial management.

It also recommended business plan development, market research, regulatory compliance, digitalisation, loan and grant packaging, and post-financing support.

The foundation proposed a youth enterprise development and finance readiness programme designed to provide a structured pathway from business ideas to sustainable, finance-ready enterprises.

The model begins with Enterprise Discovery, which involves identifying and assessing young people with viable business ideas.

The second stage, entrepreneurship boot camp, will strengthen participants’ skills in business modelling, financial literacy, marketing and digital tools.

The third stage, business clinic, will provide individual assessment and professional mentoring to identify and address enterprise gaps.

The fourth stage, bankability preparation, will support qualified entrepreneurs in developing business plans, feasibility studies, and realistic financial projections.

The fifth stage, Finance Linkage, will connect finance-ready enterprises with banks, investors, the Bank of Industry and relevant financing programmes.

The final stage, post-financing mentorship, will provide continued guidance, monitoring and accountability to beneficiaries.

The foundation said the model would shift youth enterprise support from one-off training to a complete enterprise development pipeline.

It also highlighted clusters and cooperatives as ways to help young entrepreneurs overcome challenges associated with operating individually.

According to SABMF, organised groups can aggregate production, access inputs and equipment at lower costs and improve product quality.

“Such groups can also negotiate better prices while attracting institutional buyers and financiers,” it said.

It also urged entrepreneurs to avoid borrowing before validating their business ideas and using business loans for personal consumption.

It also advised entrepreneurs against overestimating revenue, ignoring operating costs or choosing financing products unsuitable for their businesses.

The foundation encouraged entrepreneurs to keep proper financial records, separate personal and business finances and formalise their enterprises.

It also advised them to establish banking relationships before requiring loans and warned against fraudulent individuals demanding payments for guaranteed access to finance.

SABMF called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, financial institutions, development partners, investors and youth-focused organisations.

It said such partnerships would create a more effective ecosystem for youth enterprise development and responsible financing.

The foundation said the ultimate pathway for young entrepreneurs should be: “Ideas, Skills, Structure, Markets, Finance and Scale.”

SABMF reaffirmed its commitment to initiatives that promote knowledge, leadership, entrepreneurship, and opportunities for young people across Northern Nigeria.

(NAN)