Author: Blessed

The Nigerian government has launched a new program called the National Youth Skills Program (NYSP) to combat youth unemployment and provide young people with valuable skills. The Minister of Youth Development, Jamila Ibrahim, announced the program at an event in Abuja weeks back. Ibrahim stated that the NYSP aims to reduce youth unemployment by 20% within five years and increase youth-led businesses by 50%. “Through regular assessment, feedback loops and data analysis, we will adjust our strategies as needed to ensure that we stay on track and that no one is left behind” she stated. “With the right skills and…

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), time-related underemployment in Q1 2024 was 10.6 per cent, showing a decrease of 1.7 per cent from the rate of 12.3 per cent recorded in Q3 2023. Nigeria’s unemployment rate rose to 5.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2024, the National Bureau of Statistics has said. The bureau said this in its Nigeria Labour Force Survey (NLFS) report for Q1 2024 released on Tuesday. “The Unemployment rate increased to 5.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2024 from 5.0 per cent in Q3 2023,” the NBS said. A breakdown…

Florence Otedola, popularly known as DJ Cuppy and daughter of Nigeria’s billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, at the weekend made history as the first British Nigerian ever to host an opening session at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The popular superstar DJ, philanthropist, global music sensation and founder of the Cuppy Foundation, originally known as Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, a statement from her media office said, anchored the session themed: “The Summit of the Future – Youth Actions Day” at the event. With tremendous progress achieved since her last appearance at the Assembly, the talented DJ opened the Youth Action Day…

The United States has pledged ongoing support for women entrepreneurs in Nigeria in their aim to foster economic growth and stability. Through her Academy for Women Entrepreneurs, the U.S. has equipped over 150 Nigerian women with advanced digital skills. This initiative seeks to position these women as leaders in the digital economy, driving innovation and sustainable growth in their entrepreneurial endeavors. As stated by the U.S. Consul-General in Nigeria, Mr Will Stevens, in a recent gathering in Lagos that brought together a significant number of Academy alumni, the initiative aims to further strengthen their digital capabilities and network with fellow…

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has announced the 2024 edition of the National MSME Conference, themed “GROW NIGERIAN: Sustaining an Innovation and Digital-Driven Economy.” The event, the nation’s leading annual development conference, will be opened by the President, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. It will take place from October 3rd to 5th, 2024, at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, with support from the German International Agency (GIZ) and Mastercard.Mr. Charles Odii, Director-General/CEO of SMEDAN, described the event as the most significant convergence of entrepreneurs, policymakers, enablers, public-private sector stakeholders, and supporting institutions…

Efficiency and collaboration are key to success in every business. Traditional methods of storing and sharing files are often cumbersome and time-consuming. That’s where Dropbox comes in. This popular cloud storage platform has revolutionized the way businesses operate, offering a wide range of benefits that can streamline workflows, boost productivity, and enhance collaboration. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the ocean of advantages Dropbox has for business. From secure file storage and seamless sharing to advanced collaboration tools and robust security features, we’ll explore how Dropbox can help your organization achieve its goals. Key Takeaways Understanding Dropbox and its…

The Nigerian business market is becoming more competitive by the day and the last thing you want is to lose your customers. Poor customer management can lead to this and to avoid such events you need to learn how to implement a CRM system in your business. Managing customer relationships effectively is crucial for success. A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system can be a powerful tool to help Nigerian businesses streamline their operations, enhance customer satisfaction, and drive growth. This blog post will provide a comprehensive guide on how to implement a CRM system in your Nigerian business. We’ll cover…

The UK government has launched a new project to support technology and innovation in Nigeria and Ghana. The project, called Sankore, will provide up to £1.9 million in funding to help drive economic growth in both countries. The UK government is working closely with the governments of Nigeria and Ghana on this project. This was contained in a statement from the Senior Press and Public Affairs Officer, British High Commission in Nigeria, Ndidiamaka Eze, on Tuesday. “Named after a West African medieval centre of learning, Sankore will establish new partnerships worth up to £1.9 Million with non-profit organisations (including UN…

The Commonwealth Foundation is now accepting applications for grants of up to £30,000 to support civil society projects across the Commonwealth. What Kind of Projects Are Funded? The Foundation is interested in projects that encourage collaboration between civil society organizations and government officials, especially when it comes to policy creation and implementation. Successful projects should focus on one or more of these key areas: Before Applying, make sure to carefully read the eligibility requirements and guidelines to see if your project qualifies for funding. Who Can Apply for this Grant? The Commonwealth Foundation is looking for non-profit civil society organizations…

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has taken a significant step to support women-owned businesses in Nigeria by launching the Fempreneur Accelerator program. This initiative, part of the bank’s SheVentures program, is designed to provide comprehensive support to Women Small and Medium Enterprises (WSMEs). By partnering with Shecluded, a leading organization for women entrepreneurs, FCMB aims to address the specific challenges faced by female business owners in Nigeria. Shecluded is a female-focused finance and capacity-building company on a mission to unlock economic prosperity for African female entrepreneurs. They do this by providing access to business education, financial literacy, access to funding,…

The Federal Ministry of Youth Development announced plans to train 5,000 Nigerian youths to become data protection professionals as part of its ongoing efforts to create jobs. To achieve this, the Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) on Tuesday. Note that, the NDPC’s recently released 2023 annual report disclosed that the country’s data protection industry created a total of 10,123 jobs for Nigerians last year. The NDPC stated that the number of jobs created in 2023 increased by 5.7% compared to the 9,577 jobs created in 2022. The NDPC also reported that compliance…

Ondo State secondary schools have been instructed by the government to establish farms and promote entrepreneurship. Education Commissioner, Hon Laolu Akindolire, stated that this initiative is designed to address food shortages and empower students with essential skills.   Akindolire highlighted the necessity of practical skills in agriculture, food processing, and entrepreneurship to address unemployment and promote socio-economic development. He commended the Multiskill Teenpreneurship Program (MSTP) for its focus on empowering students to be self-reliant and contribute to their communities. The Commissioner suggested that Nigeria’s food shortage could be alleviated if all secondary schools established farms as part of their agricultural…

In a move to support the development of startups in Nigeria, Dutch-based venture builder 15Wins Ventures has launched a N5bn venture fund.According to the investor, the fund, which is targeted at startups operating in key sectors, such as fintech, agritech, healthtech, e-commerce, and renewable energy, aims to provide the essential capital needed for emerging businesses to make a lasting impact on the economy. The company said in a statement obtained on Monday that the fund aligned with Nigeria’s most pressing needs and growth opportunities and was poised to transform the Nigerian entrepreneurial landscape. “Our goal is to discover and cultivate…

Recent reports have it that Nigeria has been listed as one of the top 3 countries in the world where Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) has gained momentum as 44 other countries are starting their pilot phase.According to a report published on Tuesday by the U.S.-based Atlantic Council, as of September 2024, only the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Nigeria have fully launched a CBDC. “In Nigeria and the Bahamas, CBDC issuance has increased substantially,” the report noted. Recall that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) launched the country’s CBDC, eNaira in October 2021.With that, Nigeria became the first African country to…

Mastercard and Airtel Smartcash Payment Service Bank have been announced by the The Economic Forum Series® (EFS), Nairametrics and DiGiComm Enterprises as the primary sponsors of the Annual MSME Finance Awards 2024. This prestigious event recognizes organizations that have significantly contributed to financial inclusion and sustainable growth for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria. MasterCard is a global leader in payment technology, offering a wide range of innovative payment transaction processing and related services. Smartcash Payment Service Bank (PSB) Limited, a subsidiary of Airtel Nigeria, is a leading innovative Payment Service Bank, focused on advancing financial Inclusion. The…

Olajumoke Ekundayo, CEO of Postagvest Solutions, has urged young people involved in agriculture to adopt modern and innovative farming practices to contribute significantly to food security in Nigeria. Ekundayo delivered this message during the graduation ceremony of 25 young farmers trained in smart and sustainable vegetable farming and agribusiness principles under Postagvest’s Raise a Farmer Initiative 3.0.The CEO emphasized the importance of knowledge sharing among young farmers to transform agriculture in their communities and boost economic growth. She highlighted Postagvest’s commitment to empowering young people and promoting sustainable agriculture through training, funding, and resource provision. Ekundayo encouraged the graduates to…

Deadline: Sep 25, 2024 The 2024 Digital Nigeria Innovation Challenge aims to harness the power of technology and innovation to address critical infrastructure challenges in Nigeria. Participants will collaborate in teams to create innovative digital maps of one Nigerian state, highlighting critical infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, roads, and utilities. These maps will provide insights that can drive sustainable development across Nigeria. The aim of the Challenge to generate comprehensive, data-driven digital maps for Nigeria’s 36 states including the FCT, focusing on critical infrastructure to enhance decision-making and development planning. What Participants Will Do in Teams Participants will work in…

Kopo Kopo, a Kenyan fintech startup that offers short-term business loans, has appointed Dennis Ondeng as its new CEO. Recall that months ago, Moniepoint, a Nigerian Fintech company that provides an all-in-one payments, banking, and operations platform for businesses, has been granted approval to acquire Kenyan Fintech Kopo Kopo. Moniepoint acquisition of Kopo Kopo, received clearance from the Competition Authority of Kenya after a thorough analysis of the merger’s potential impacts was conducted. Monday’s leadership change comes 13 months after Kenya’s competition authority approved its proposed acquisition by Nigerian neobank Moniepoint Inc. The company named Chad Larson as chief financial…

September 13, 2024 – The Nigerian government has launched a financial aid program to help small-scale businesses get back on their feet. The program, called the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), will provide N50 billion in grants to one million small businesses across the country. The program is being led by President Bola Tinubu, promises to give each small business N50,000 in grant money. The program targets “NANO businesses,” which are businesses with fewer than three employees and annual revenues below N3 million. At the program launch in the Delta North zone in Asaba, the SMEDAN…

September 13, 2024 – TechCrunch has revealed the startups that made it to Startup Battlefield 200 for 2024, a global startup competition, featuring startups from around the world, including 8 early-stage startups from Africa. The competition offers startups a platform to showcase innovative ideas, connect with investors, and compete for a $100,000 equity-free prize. The 2024 edition closed on June 10, attracting startups with MVPs and seeking early-stage funding. Startup Battlefield is renowned for its impact, with past winners like BioticsAI (2023) and Minerva Lithium (2022) which claims it can extract one metric ton of lithium using just 30,000 gallons…