By Nkechi Eze
In a significant bold step towards achieving the goal of empowering Nigerian youths with the skills, knowledge, and resources needed to become successful entrepreneurs and contributors to the nation’s economic growth, the National Youth Service Corps and Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), have reached an agreement.
The two agencies have formalized their partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the SMEDAN Headquarters in Abuja today, Thursday, February 13, 2025.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General YD Ahmed said that partnership with SMEDAN would avail Corps Members more access to funds to finance their business ideas.
He added that NYSC mobilizes over 400,000 Corps Members annually and equips them with bankable business ideas and vocational skills.
“This means, providing them with start-up capital is a sure way of improving Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product” he asserted.
On his part, the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Mr Charles Odii lauded Brigadier General Ahmed for his passion towards Corps Members’ empowerment.
He said the agency would leave no stoned unturned in pursuing Federal Government’s agenda on job creation.
Odii stated further that the MoU would empower Corps Members to fund their business ideas as SMEDAN aims to create 50,000 entrepreneurs in a year.
“Corps Members are graduates and if they are well trained, they will train and also empower other youths”, he added.
