AGDC, Lagos to empower 1,100 entrepreneurs

AS part of efforts to raise more entrepreneurs in the country, the Afterschool Graduate Development Centre, a Lagos based trainer on entrepreneurial skills has partnered Lagos State Government to train 1,100 Nigerian university graduates on various entrepreneurial skills.

These graduates, according to the terms of the scheme would be trained on how to develop business models and write business proposals, they would also get a start-up seed fund of N100, 000 each, which would enable them to begin and expand their business plans in the next one year.

Director, AGDC, Mrs. Funmi Adeyemi, said the training and empowerment became necessary to help government address the unemployment challenge in the country.

According to her, AGDC has been involved in training of Nigerian graduates in various entrepreneurial skills, with a passion to promote skills development in the country.

Besides, she said AGDC has created a customised and scalable business execution curriculum for this year’s training programme called Inginte Ideas entrepreneurs, and has established a fellowship network, through Linkedin, a social media platform. It has also recruited volunteer business experts to provide sorcialised mentorship for targeted demographics industries and business stages.

Adeyemi explained that AGDC advertised online and received and received a total of 2,490 applications, out of which, 1,121 were completed applications. The applicants were screened and 541 were selected for the first batch of training and mentorship. The number of women-owned businesses that applied, was 284, Adeyemi said, adding that the business ideas, range from Technology, Media services, Art, Fashion and Design, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Agriculture and Farming, among others.