Foundation wants more northern participation in entrepreneurship

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) has called for more northern participation in its entrepreneurship programme, encouraging individuals from the region with business ideas to apply for its empowerment scheme.

The foundation, which is dishing out $100 million to 10,000 African entrepreneurs within ten years, noted that participation from northern Nigeria would improve the region’s economy, and reduce poverty and unemployment.

According to the foundation’s representative in Kaduna, Mrs. Judith Akinjobi, majority of the applicants who have benefitted from the initiative were mostly from the south, with few applicants from the north.

Due to the low enrolment, she said the foundation plans to embark on a sensitisation programme across the 19 northern states beginning February.