JA Nigeria, ACT Foundation expand programme in Southwest to reach one million youth

The Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) in conjunction with Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation is expanding its ‘My company, my region’ programme across the South West to impact one million youth before the end of 2019.

Executive Director, JAN, Simi Nwogugu stated this in Lagos to discuss the success of the pilot programme for junior secondary schools.

Developed as a response to the alarming dropout rate of students between junior and senior secondary schools, the programme was designed to encourage junior secondary students to learn and apply entrepreneurial thinking as they explore higher education and future career choices. It also aimed to provide young people with the skills, values and opportunities required for wealth generation and gainful employment.

The programme, which started June 2018, ended in March 2019 with 16 schools, 1,602 students in Lagos and seven schools, 398 students in Ogun State as beneficiaries.

According to the organisers, output indicators shows that students recognise the use of all resources (human capital and natural), and are knowledgeable about skills, tasks and concepts an entrepreneur must master before starting a business. It also revealed that students are able to provide solutions to pressing social and environmental problems.

Nwogugu said the group developed the curriculum for the Southwest to stem urban migration and raise aware about opportunities.

She said: “We saw a lot of people trooping to Lagos looking for opportunities, but they are in those different space in the region. The curriculum is designed to address the youth migration to urban areas.”

Nwogugu expressed delight at the level of support offered by the ACT Foundation and highlighted the critical role grant makers play in creating an enabling environment for youth development.

“The initial support we received from the foundation was for a pilot programme that ran in Lagos and Abeokuta, Ogun State. We successfully reached our goal of 2, 000 students and are thrilled that the foundation have agreed to further support the initiative so that we can scale up and reach many more students,” she said.

She expressed hope that the programme would later be replicated in all the geo-political zones of the country.

Chief Executive Officer, ACT foundation, Ms. Osayi Allie restated their commitment to partnering with the right organisations to accelerate entrepreneurial development.

“With JAN, we look forward to developing world-class entrepreneurs who can create innovative businesses that solve problems and generate wealth within their communities,” she said.