Young professionals in the country have been urged to finance, manage and support their businesses through federal government interventions.
Minister of State For Youth Development, Wisdom Ayodele who stated this said such interventions were designed by the government to generate employment and create jobs for Nigerian youths.
Ayodele spoke in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital at the weekend at a one-day maiden Business Empowerment Summit, organised by Young Professionals Forum, Ekiti State chapter with the theme: “Built to Thrive: Building Resilient Businesses in a Disruptive Economy.”
The minister who was represented by his Technical Assistant, Nathaniel Famuyibo, lamented that failure of the young people in business to access such interventions was partly responsible for the rising unemployment in Nigeria.
He assured that the federal government will continue to work with the YPF towards raising the next generation of business leaders that will reshape the nation’s economy.
The minister disclosed that the Ministry in collaboration with YPF has put up a mechanism in place to ensure that young professionals judiciously invest in their businesses towards the elimination of a disruptive economy.
“It is not all youths that know how to manage finances. Government has tried in all areas to make sure that youths are self-reliant. When loans and grants are made available to the youths, the money disappears into thin air and such youth will not be able to execute the business or even pay back the loan or the grant is not used for what it is meant for.
“That is why we have unemployment fighting back in the country presently. What we are doing now is to make sure that it is only yout, then we give a helping hand for such business and idea not to die.’’
In his address, the YPF president in Ekiti State, Mr Olaoluwa Adebiyi, said the summit was staged to equip young professionals with the needed knowledge, skills, and connections to succeed in the face of disruption.
