NEWS
Coca-Cola Strengthens ‘Equip 60,000’ Entrepreneurship Initiative
… Ganduje Commends Coca-Cola, Charges Beneficiaries to Use Grants Judiciously
By Edozie Obasi-Eze
As part of efforts to help youth and women fulfil their potentials, particularly in the competitive world of business, The Coca-Cola Foundation has set out to empower 60,000 people in Nigeria with modern entrepreneurial skills with a good number of them also getting grants.
At the hybrid closing ceremony for the Kano leg of the event, on March 31, 2022, Nwamaka Onyemelukwe, Director, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, Coca-Cola Nigeria, disclosed that the ‘Equip 60,000’, as the initiative is themed, would see the training and empowerment of several youths and women across the country as part of the company’s commitment to youth and women entrepreneurship under its new Africa sustainability platform termed JAMII.
At the presentation, Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje commended The Coca-Cola System for the initiative and charged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the grants. He called on other thriving businesses to take an example from Coca-Cola.
Dr Ganduje who was represented at the event by his Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Hon Kabiru Lakwaya, said, “We have done a lot in the area of youth and women empowerment, since the inception of our administration, yet we value the support of corporate bodies in that dimension.”
Onyemelukwe explained that, “We are in partnership with the Whitefield Foundation to empower the youth and women across Nigeria with practical money-making skills and to ensure that the program touches as many lives as possible, we have set out with 72 carefully identified skills which we have been delivering to participants both physically and virtually across the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja since December 2021.”
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In addition to knowledge empowerment, The Coca-Cola Foundation had also been offering business grants to those who distinguish themselves during the training. The grants come in three categories of gold, silver and bronze.
“We are pleased to equip Nigerian women and youths with entrepreneurial skills and startup or booster grants to those who distinguished themselves during the training in the hope that they will impact their individual lives, immediate families, business associates and the community,” Onyemelukwe added.
Ekuma Eze, Director Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), pointed out that the initiative is for empowering youths and women as part of efforts to help these important segments fulfil their potentials and impact on the society more positively.
Funmi Johnson, Chief Executive, Whitefield Foundation, expressed delight at partnering with The Coca-Cola Foundation on this initiative, which she described as a unique opportunity of transforming lives with both the training and business grants.
She commended the quality of the training and the transparency of the process of selecting the grant winners, and encouraged them to “take advantage of today’s ceremony to network and sign-up mentorships which would aid the sustenance of the program”.
“With the backing of The Coca-Cola Foundation, we will keep deepening this initiative across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to empower youths and women with money making skills with the conviction that empowering these sensitive segments would have a multiplier effect on alleviating poverty levels of the larger society,” Johnson added.
She commended the zeal demonstrated by the Kano citizens, which saw over 18,000 people participate with 9,800 of them making it to the second stage of the program, out of which 2,212 were lucky to merit the grants.
“The enthusiasm shown by people in Kano towards the ‘Equip 60,000’ has been tremendous. At both virtual and physical training sessions, the willingness of the participants has been heartwarming. At a point, we had participants from all the 44 local governments in Kano State, which is unprecedented,” she noted.
She enjoined the beneficiaries to strive to make the most of the opportunities and commended the support of the district heads of the various communities in making the initiative very successful in Kano.
The huge acceptance of the program has seen it reach 74,204 people, 1,000 of whom had already been awarded grants by the sponsors.
The empowerment training is structured in four levels including, employability and entrepreneurship skills, practical money making vocational skills in areas like web design, graphics design, snacks, cocktails, cocktails, make up, event planning and decoration; and domestic household essentials like hand sanitizers, multipurpose soaps; and agribusiness value chain.
Other dignitaries who graced the occasion include, Dr. Zahara’u Umar, Hon Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Kano State, and Alh. Kabiru Sa’idu Magami Permanent Secretary Ministry of Youths and Sports Development.
The Chancellor of Osun State University and Executive Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil Limited, Folorunso Alakija has described Governor Ademola Adeleke as “an action Governor who is delivering good governance to the good people of Osun state”.
She bared her mind, while hosting Gov Adeleke at the Ikoyi headquarters of Famfa Oil Limited.
According to her, she she has been following activities of Gov Adeleke since he assumed office, and commended him for setting a good leadership example.
The billionaire businesswoman on the occasion flanked by two of her directors, Ladi and Folarin Alakija, noted that the Osun State Governor has been demonstrating strong passion for public service and pursuing a big agenda for the state.
She prayed to God Almighty to strengthen the Governor for a second term in office, as in her opinion, four years were not enough for an action governor like Gov Adeleke to deliver fully on his ambitious agenda for the state.
Reviewing her tenure as the Chancellor of the Osun State University, the Famfa boss recalled the conception and stages of completion of the UNIOSUN Medical Research and Training Hospital which she wholly donated and financed.
She pointed out that the project which is 95 percent completed was designed to serve the health needs of patients from far and near and elevate service to humanity to a higher level.
Earlier, Governor Adeleke, accompanied by the Vice Chancellor of the Osun State University, Prof Odunayo Clement Adebooye and other state officials, said he was ‘on a thank you visit to the business mogul to appreciate her huge contributions to the growth and development of the state university’.
Gov Adeleke expressed appreciation for the massive multi-billion naira Medical Research and Training hospital that Apostle Dr Alakija was building at the State university, describing Famfa boss as “a commendable role model in the field of philanthropy.
“We are here as a government to appreciate you. You are uncommon and rare in your love for service to humanity.”
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has announced that the portal for student loan applications will officially open on May 24, 2024.
This development is part of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund’s efforts to enhance access to higher education, as stated by the Fund’s media lead, Nasir Ayantogo, on Thursday night.
According to Ayantogo, the launch of the application portal is a significant step in President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to providing accessible and inclusive education for Nigerian students.
This initiative follows the signing of the Access to Higher Education Act, 2023, by President Tinubu on June 12, 2023 which aims to provide interest-free loans to financially disadvantaged students pursuing higher education in Nigeria.
Dele Alake, a member of the former Presidential Strategy Team, noted that this move fulfills one of President Tinubu’s key campaign promises to liberalize funding for education.
The Act, popularly known as the Students Loan Law, also established the Nigerian Education Loan Fund to handle all loan requests, grants, disbursements, and recoveries.
Initially, the government announced that the scheme would launch in September, but it faced several delays, resulting in an indefinite postponement in early March.
The Presidency attributed the delay to President Tinubu’s directive to expand the scheme to include loans for vocational skills.
Following a briefing from the NELFUND team led by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, on January 22, President Tinubu instructed the Fund to extend interest-free loans to Nigerian students interested in skill-development programs.
President Tinubu stressed the importance of including those who may not seek university education, noting that skill acquisition is equally as important as earning academic degrees.
He had said, “This is not an exclusive programme. It is catering to all of our young people. Young Nigerians are gifted in different areas.
“This is not only for those who want to be doctors, lawyers, and accountants. It is also for those who aspire to use their skilled and trained hands to build our nation.
“In accordance with this, I have instructed NELFUND to explore all opportunities to inculcate skill-development programmes because not everybody wants to go through a full university education,”
Through the portal, students can now access loans to pursue their academic aspirations without financial constraints.
According to the statement, the portal features a user-friendly interface, allowing students to conveniently submit their loan applications.
The statement added, “We encourage all eligible students to take advantage of this opportunity to invest in their future and contribute to the growth and development of our nation. Students can access the portal on www.nelf.gov.ng to begin application.”
President Bola Tinubu received Senegal’s newly elected President, Bassirou Faye, at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja on Thursday.
Faye, who arrived at 3:09 p.m., is making his first official visit to Nigeria since taking office last month.
At 44, he is the youngest president in Senegalese history, having secured a decisive victory in April’s delayed presidential election with over 54% of the vote.
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