GIZ-SEDIN Empowers 30,000 Nigerian Students With Entrepreneurial Skills

The Pro-poor Growth and Promotion of Employment in Nigeria Programme- SEDIN, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) has trained and empowered over 30,000 secondary school students across Nigeria with basic entrepreneurship skills.

The extra-curricular Students Entrepreneurship Activity – Hub (SEA-Hub) established in 342 secondary schools nationwide is running in the FCT and 10 states (Niger, Ogun, Plateau, Edo, Lagos, Yobe, Kaduna, Delta, Imo, Osun) and 64 LGAs across six geopolitical zones of the country.

Head of Cluster, Sustainable Economic Development, GIZ Nigeria, Markus Wauschkuhn disclosed that SEDIN introduced the SEA-Hub in its effort to curb youth unemployment in Nigeria. The SEA-Hub is targeted at inculcating basic entrepreneurship training for secondary schools in order to prepare them for the now and for life after school.

According to HIM, over 300 SEA-Hub graduates are running their personal businesses which translates to 1-2 jobs created. Over 700 teachers have been impacted directly or indirectly with a number of them reportedly running their businesses. Piloted at Federal level with 18 Federal Unity Colleges across the 6 geo-political zones. SEA-Hub students now implement community projects from their business proceeds as CSR projects.

Markus said the SEA-Hub progamme “began in 2016 with pilots in three LGAs of Niger State, and has since upscaled to four states – Niger, Ogun, Plateau and Edo. About 394 Secondary Schools have participated in the SEA-Hub training while 256 schools have active SEA-Hubs in their Schools across our present partner states where they are participating in different empowering entrepreneurial activities.

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Component lead, Economic Education and Entrepreneurship, GIZ-SEDIN, Oladoyin Olawaiye said, SEA-Hub students develop an innovative and critical entrepreneurial thinking ability for self-reliance. The concept fosters opportunity recognition, innovation, risk-taking and critical thinking with the students coached on setting up and effectively managing an entrepreneurship-oriented club in their various schools.

Project lead, SEA-Hub, Babafemi Oyediran, said the approach is: SEDIN trains selected students and teachers from identified schools; students set up weekly co-curricular SEA-Hub club meetings and they create mini-businesses with little or no funds to practice real-time entrepreneurship.

“They get periodic mentorship sessions by successful entrepreneurs and support from the local business community. They embark on regular visits to local enterprises and participate at entrepreneurship competitions and exhibitions for SEA-Hub schools,” he said.

In 2016, the pilot started in Kontagora, Bida and Borgu LGAs and in 2017 expanded to Suleja, Bosso, Wushishi and Agaie LGAs of Nigeria state; in Shagamu, Ijebu Ode, Waterside, Yewa North, Abeokuta North, Remo North and Ijebu North in Ogun state; and Mangu, Bokkos, Shendam, Bassa, Pankshin, Jos South and Wase LGAs.

In 2018, SEA-Hub expanded to Rafi, Shiroro, Rijau and Lavun LGAs of Niger state; Abeokuta South, Ipokia, Ikene and Yewa South LGAs in Ogun state; Barki Ldi, Jos North, Langtang South and Kanam LGAs of Plateau state.

In 2019, Mokwa, Chanchaga, Paiko and Lapai LGAs in Niger state; Odogbolu, Ijebu North-East, Ewekoro and Adoda-Ota LGAs in Ogun state; Jos East and Riyo LGAs in Plateau state; Egor and Oredo LGAs in Edo state were added.