Towards curbing the menace of brain drain beveling the country, Zakat and Sadaqah Foundation (ZSF) has empowered skilled youths with grants to reduce the surge in number of people seeking greener pastures abroad.

At the seventh edition of the Business Plan Competition (BPC), tagged Entrepreneurship Development Training at Westwood Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, the foundation empowered 28 entrepreneurs and upcoming business starters with about N12 million for emerging winners and runners-up in two categories.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director, ZSF, Prince Sulayman Olagunju, narrated how the foundation has been engaging youths to discourage their desire to go abroad.

He said grants and trainings worth hundreds of millions of naira have been extended to thousands of youths to start and nurture businesses in the country.

According to him, the Entrepreneurship Development Project initiative was conceived and rolled out seven years ago to cater for teeming youths with business ideas.

He said: “We want them to believe that they can make it in this country with proper orientation and funding of their business ideas. We thank Allah that we’re achieving our goals because now we have quite a number of youths who would have ordinarily ran out of the country looking for greener pastures, most of them are now staying in the country. They have assisted in coming out with products and goods that if those products were not produced locally, people would have relied on imported ones and we all know the cost of exchange rate these days. And instead of running away, they are staying and managing their businesses here in Nigeria. They have equally become employers of labour. ”

Chairman on the occasion, the Managing Director of Hilal Takaful Nigeria Limited, Hajia Thaibat Adeniran, urged Nigerians to find something valuable to do with their knowledge and resources rather than seeking greener pastures in other countries.

She said many people engaged in menial jobs abroad just to eke a living. Her words

“Going abroad will never help because they will still suffer; many cannot do things the way they do here over there. Why don’t you use your knowledge and resources to make yourself comfortable in your country? There is an opportunity for exportation of goods. Why don’t we tap into that and earn foreign currencies instead of running abroad to do some menial jobs.” She concluded.

A member of the screening consultants, Prof Khadijat Idowu, from Accounting Department, Lagos State University, (LASU), hailed the foundation for this initiative.

Idowu observed that there are talented people among those that applied for the grant.

Many of them, she said, have much to offer to grow the economy.

“There are so many people that have great business ideas that could grow our economy. We have so many indigenous products that we can export instead of importing all the time. What is required is to fund these business ideas and make the atmosphere conducive for business to thrive. We’ve heard government talking about ease of doing business but the masses are not feeling the impact. The government should walk the talk,” she said.

She cautioned the youth against relocating abroad, saying not all that relocated make it, but shame won’t let them return to the country.

A member of the foundation’s Advisory Board, Mr Shuaib Idris, said brain drain is worldwide challenge. Idris, however, said the initiative by ZSF could help in reducing the brain drain. He urged wealthy Nigerians to support youths through the foundation.

“Our youths should get cracking. They should make do with whatever skills they have; no matter how little your skills, you don’t underestimate it. Think outside the box so that you will have the opportunity to earn a living and be a productive citizen,” he said.

A beneficiary, Director of Datepark Junior School, Saheed Omotunde, commended the foundation and Zakat payers. He added that he has no plan to move out of the country because every region has it challenges.“ I believe with hard work, I will be successful in this country, there is light at the end of the tunnel.”