YES: Youth Entrepreneurship Support Programme In Nigeria

Youth Entrepreneurship Support Programme (YES): With the unavailability of jobs and the increase in the number of graduates Tertiary Institutions churn out every year, the need for an alternative means of engaging these teaming unemployed youths has become imminent.

The government is taking measures in not only creating jobs but rather empowering youths who can create jobs. The mission to depopulate the number of unemployed persons has resulted in government talking about including vocational training in the country’s education system. Thereby graduating skilled persons who just need little boast to be established.Youth Entrepreneurship Support

Hence, the Nigerian government, having seen the need for empowering the teaming youths as a means of creating more job opportunities, launched a program called Youth Entrepreneurship Support (YES).

The Youth Entrepreneurship Support Programme (YES) provides an opportunity for individuals to start their own businesses and live out their dreams of being entrepreneurs. YES, the program was developed by Bank of Industry Nigeria and launched in 2016, not just as a paper like the policy, rather a working guideline that directs young business owners to become successful in their businesses.

YES, the program aims at reducing to the barest minimum the number of unemployed youths in the country. That is why the Bank of Industry (BOI) is ready to invest in people’s ideas, ideas that will create more jobs in the country. Matching each idea with up to 5 million Naira and providing training courses to the participants, as availed by numerous partners of the program, viz.

Pan Atlantic University Enterprise Development Centre (PAU-EDC), Kaduna Business School (KBS), Leap Africa, Prinsult Co. Ltd, ValueCon Business Services, VSL Consult Ltd, Empretec Nigeria Foundation, Fate Foundation, and SME-Friendly Commercial Banks. YES, the program offers both online and offline courses. You can find the whole program plan on the BOI website.

Meanwhile, the program is expected to create at least 20,000 direct jobs and 30,000 indirect jobs per year, which would result in 60,000 jobs every year. This will in turn, grow the economy of the country.

So, you feel you have great ideas to boost the economy of the nation and as such create more jobs and become a boss on your own? YES, a program can set you up. The requirements include a minimum educational level of National Diploma (OND) and falling within the age bracket of 18-35 alongside your novel ideas, and you are already on your way to becoming an entrepreneur.

Apart from the YES program, there are other government programs that also aims at reducing unemployment, which you can also be a part of. They include;

  • Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin)
  • African Youth Empowerment Nigeria (AYEN)
  • Young Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (YEN)
  • Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS)
  • New Era Foundation
  • Npower Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative (YEDI)
  • International Centre For Development Affairs
  • LEAP Africa
  • Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program (SURE-P)

Also, already existing entrepreneurs need support being the backbone of the country’s economy. There is government established Entrepreneurship support agencies launched to help analyze and improve your production and develop new ideas. Some of those agencies are:

  • Manufacturer Association of Nigeria (MAN);
  • National Association of Small And Medium Enterprises (NASME);
  • Micro Finance Institutions (MFIS).

Although YES have closed application for the year 2018 you can cash on the other programs as aforementioned. Your success helps others to succeed. Take that bold step now that will empower others.