The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has encouraged Corps Members to capitalize on the opportunities provided during their service year by exploring commodity marketing and other viable businesses. He emphasized that agribusiness is a promising avenue for young people seeking to build sustainable businesses and create wealth. This statement was made in Abuja during a ceremony where cheques were presented to six Corps Members who won the Farmers for the Future Programme.
The programme, organized by the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) in collaboration with the NYSC, awarded six Corps Members with cash prizes for their outstanding business plans in agribusiness. The beneficiaries include Dominic Olufemi, Temitope Adewole, Abdulwaheed Bala, Olanike Mayungbe, Kingsley Udoeyen, and Lorember Lorsue, who received N3m, N2m, N2m, N1m, N1m, and N1m respectively. General Nafiu commended BATNF for its entrepreneurship initiatives that focus on Nigerian youths.
The NYSC Director-General stressed the importance of adding value to ensure the success and sustainability of every business venture. He encouraged the winners to share their experiences and highlighted the potential for wealth creation through agribusiness. The ceremony also featured remarks from other officials, including the Acting Director of Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED), Mrs Winifred Shopeka.
According to Mrs Shopeka, the Farmers for the Future Programme began with an online registration portal for Corps Members engaged in agribusiness to submit their business plans. Nearly 3,000 Corps Members applied and underwent a rigorous selection process that produced 20 finalists. These finalists participated in a boot camp and a final pitching session, resulting in the selection of the top 10 presenters and ultimately the six winners.
The six beneficiaries have been mentored and attached to established market operators who will assist in marketing their products. Mrs Shopeka also disclosed that Corps Members who did not make it to the final stage of the competition received training from BATNF. This initiative aims to equip Corps Members with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in agribusiness.
The Team Lead of BATNF, Mr Oludare Odusanya, congratulated the beneficiaries and emphasized the importance of mastering the fundamentals of agribusiness. He expressed satisfaction with the collaboration between BATNF and the NYSC, stating that it will continue. Odusanya explained that BATNF is an independent organization established to contribute to poverty reduction in Nigeria through sustainable agricultural practices.
The Farmers for the Future Programme was instituted by BATNF in collaboration with the NYSC to encourage Corps Members to venture into agribusiness and become job creators. The beneficiaries will be attached to mentors who will guide them towards achieving success in their respective businesses. This programme is part of BATNF's efforts to support young entrepreneurs and promote sustainable agricultural practices in Nigeria.
Key points
- The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has urged Corps Members to explore agribusiness opportunities for sustainable businesses and wealth creation.
- Six Corps Members were awarded cash prizes for their outstanding business plans in agribusiness under the Farmers for the Future Programme.
- The programme aims to equip Corps Members with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in agribusiness and promote sustainable agricultural practices in Nigeria.
