UNDP to revamp economy through entrepreneurship training

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has pledged commitments towards economic recovery and emancipation of the Nigerian economy by training 300 entrepreneurs from six states affected by Boko Haram insurgency and other conflicts.

The UN agency, under its phase I Entrepreneurship Training Programmed (ENTP) has targeted Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Benue, Delta and Edo states to each train 50 entrepreneurs.

The 10-year insurgency in the Northeast had shattered and devastated both local and national economies and business climes.

Addressing 50 graduates at during a six-day entrepreneurship training programme in Damaturu, the UNDP, Head Sub-Office in
Maiduguri, Mizuho Yokoi noted that the business environment in Nigeria is more receptive to new entrepreneurs.

Her words: “We are concerned about the economic well-being of Nigeria and as such took out time to give each of every trainee the needed skills and innovations for the survival of entrepreneurship across the country.

“Knowledge is to the survival of entrepreneurship and that was what UNDP has given in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa and intended giving to 150 others in Adamawa, Edo and Benue states. It is also a key to successful entrepreneurship. An entrepreneur needs to constantly learn and apply the knowledge learn to the
business.”

Yokoi also said that another thing an entrepreneur needs is resilience; adding that an entrepreneur continues to put efforts until
he/she succeeds.

She said failures could be addressed by applying more efforts, which will yield growth and success.

Yokoi advised: “An entrepreneur has to pursue how to make the people happy and it is only by this that people will patronize one’s business.”

On how entrepreneurs revamp the economy, she said: “UNDP is in this to fight poverty and build the economy of Nigeria, because entrepreneurs provide jobs and improve lives of many people. And by giving lives of entrepreneurs you have assisted many to live above the poverty line, which is N700 a day.”

The country director of UNDP, Samuel Bwalia had earlier said that the agency would partner Federal Government in the training of millions of unemployed youths.