The Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr. Emomotimi Agama, has described the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA) Startup Pitch 1.0 as a landmark initiative that will play a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s economic future by empowering young entrepreneurs and fostering inclusive growth.
Dr. Agama commended the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and its technical partner, Sapphittal, for their forward-looking approach in nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship among Nigerian youth.
This was at the sidelines of the NIYA start up pitch and empowerment program in Abuja.
He emphasised that the youths remain the foundation of national development and that investing in their great potential and entrepreneurial initiatives is essential for building a prosperous future.
“It is so significant because the youth are the future of this nation. If you are able to build them, you are building a nation.
“ If you catch them young, you are able to fertilise a kind of growth that you cannot explain.
“ So for me, it is an important event to get them to understand the intricacies of business, the nitty-gritty of enterprise, and the importance of structure and governance around what they do,” he said.
According to him, initiatives like the NiYA Startup Pitch provide young entrepreneurs with the hope and confidence that they can build sustainable businesses capable of raising capital, scaling operations, and even becoming publicly listed companies.
“ It is about giving them hope that they can raise capital to build their companies, get listed first on small and medium-scale enterprise exchanges, and ultimately go public. That is how to democratize wealth for the Nigerian youth,” he said.
He noted that such empowerment programmes go beyond financial assistance; they are critical in equipping young people with the knowledge and frameworks necessary to operate legitimate, transparent, and well-governed enterprises.
“ Once we are able to build them up, they become unique assets. When these startups mature and are listed on the floor of the exchanges in Nigeria, it becomes a big deal because it will democratize wealth for the youth and give them a better, more secure future,” he said .
“ The energy, creativity, and brilliance of our young people must be harnessed properly.
“By giving them platforms like this, we are not just empowering individuals — we are building a new generation of wealth creators who will sustain the nation’s economy,” he said.
The NiYA Startup Pitch 1.0, launched by the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, in partnership with Sapphittal, provided grants, digital tools, and mentorship to 17 young Nigerian entrepreneurs selected through a transparent and merit-based competition.
Each beneficiary received the sum of one million naira each for their businesses.
Mr.Amu Ogbeide, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sapphital , the Ministry’s technical and implementing partner, described the NiYA platform as a comprehensive ecosystem built to equip Nigerian youth with the knowledge, tools, and funding required to thrive in today’s economy.
Sapphittal is the technical and implementing partner to the Federal Ministry of Youth Development,” Ogbeide explained.
“ Together with the Honourable Minister, we have built an ecosystem called the Nigerian Youth Academy.
He said the platform includes several integrated components, NIYA home, Job portal and NIYA startup hub — all aimed at nurturing young innovators.
“What you witnessed today is one of our startup competitions, where we went out across the country to identify young Nigerians with brilliant ideas,” he said.
“We are providing them with mentorship, digital tools, and seed funding to help them thrive.
Ogbeide emphasised that the selection process was transparent, credible, and merit based , with judges drawn from across the country and no political or personal influence.
‘We do not know any of the 17 beneficiaries,the Honourable Minister and I had no influence in the process.
‘The judges reviewed only the ideas, not the names or locations,” he clarified. “That’s how we’ll continue to operate — with fairness and transparency,” he said.
Speaking after receiving a grant under the program, Oluyomi Deborah, one of the beneficiaries, described the initiative as “a life-changing opportunity” that demonstrates the government’s commitment to the growth of youth-led businesses across Nigeria.
“This initiative by NiYA is very impactful, I wasn’t expecting it at all.
“It is wonderful to see what the Nigerian government is doing for youths across the nation,” she said.
“It is encouraging to see that they have decided to build up this beautiful initiative supporting startups across Nigeria, and I’m so happy to be a beneficiary.”She said.
