As part of its efforts aimed at developing small scale businesses in Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation, Junior Chamber International (JCI), Nigeria, has concluded plans to stage an entrepreneurial challenge for the nation’s youths.
The new initiative, which is being put together, in partnership with the global accounting body, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Microsoft, is targeted at individuals and businesses that can create economic prosperity, generate employment and add value to customers.
The president of the organization, Mr Tunji Oyeyemi explained that the organisation’s decision to initiate such challenge was borne out of the need to support government, especially, in line with its effort at diversifying the nation’s economy, thereby assisting it in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals as contained in the UN Charter.
He added that with the growing level of unemployment in the country, as revealed in the data provided by National Bureau Statistics, it had become imperative to develop the Small and Medium Scale Enterprise (SMEs) to create jobs.
The program, which is open to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Start-ups, artisans, students as well as university graduates, is expected to end by the middle of August, 2016.
On his part, the representative of ACCA, Mr Ayoola Ademoye, noted that such initiative is bound to reduce unemployment in the country, adding the accounting body would be willing to offer financial supports for the take-off of the program.