Intafact Heros Foundation , a project of Intafact Beverages Limited, said it has trained about 120 entrepreneurs on business growth and sustainability across eight states of the federation. The states are Abia, Anambra, Benue, Delta, Edo, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.
The Foundation said the programme is aimed at developing a local culture of entrepreneurship among Nigerian youths between ages 18 to 35 years, and is geared towards turning their business ideas into a reality.
According to the organisation, the five day training which took place at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State from June 19 to June 23, 2017, saw the young entrepreneurs trained on the concepts of entrepreneurship, how to generate business ideas (Opportunities, Identification and Selection); marketing strategies; financial strategies; organizational strategies; risk analysis; networking, coaching and mentoring and how to write a winning business plan, amongst others.
Otunba Michael Daramola, a Trustee of Intafact Heros Foundation, said the initiative will help Nigerian youths to channel their bright business ideas into a sustainable venture and in turn reduce crime rate and unemployment which will lead to more prosperous and healthy communities. The Trainers team leader, Prof. Alex Ikeme, said “the training programme was put together so as to provide the young entrepreneurs with the needed skills which will help them to manage their businesses and making it profitable”.
Participants commended the organizers for developing the program and appealed that the scope of the programme be expanded to make it a national one in order to accommodate more enterprising youths.
The organizers said the next stage of the programme is the evaluation where the shortlisted applicants will write a proposal after which they would be interviewed. From the pool of the interviewed, winners will emerge and announced during the award ceremony scheduled to take place later in the year. Aside from the seed capital that winners will receive, they shall be mentored and monitored for 12 months, the organizers added.
Over 5,200 applications were received across the eight participating states. Business proposals received includes: furniture making, welding/fabrication, agriculture, video/photography/media, fine and visual arts, event planning, transportation, education, waste management.