Business academy, FIIRO train over 100, to link with financiers

The Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) and Business Support Academy (BSA) have commenced training for over 100 youths and women entrepreneurs through an entrepreneurship technology transfer programme with the aim of addressing unemployment and economic challenges.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the programme, tagged: “Post-COVID-19 Intervention” in Oshodi, Lagos, the Acting Director-General of FIIRO, Dr Agnes Asagbra, said the programme was an avenue to empower thousands of youths and women to jump-start the economy post-COVID-19 era.

She said this collaborative process between the organisations in empowering the entrepreneurs was a deliberative measure, carefully articulated and orchestrated to address the deficits in the country’s socio-economic development.

In his speech, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, BSA, Otunba, said the programme would not only address unemployment, but would also empower, fortify and energise existing businesses desirous of expansion or re-engineering, and greater.

He said with the crop of entrepreneurs undergoing the training, Nigeria would not have to depend on smaller countries for food, clothing, shelter, automobiles, telecommunication and education, among others if the know-how is applied and sustained.

He noted that as a country in dire need of recovery from recession and COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria should surmount hurdles which challenge citizens’ survival, personal and national income, purchasing power, cost of living, standard of living, employment, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and overall economic wellbeing.

Otunba said solving these identified challenges meant a great deal for the trainees, adding that no nation solves problems without enriching some people, as every problem solved is a chain of wealth for the vigilant risk takers.

The BSA boss said while Nigeria is encumbered with huge economic problems, the programme would not only create millions of jobs through multiplier effects, but would incubate 3,000 local manufacturers of different products across the country.

“Our growing population is a symbolic strength for all of us to grow our businesses and create more jobs as no government in the world can alone employ all its citizens. As you arise to save Nigeria from hunger, retrogression, penury and joblessness, you are making a lot of fortunes for yourselves and the country at large.

“You are all heroes of our economy for taking up the challenge to add values in the agro-allied sector through food and beverages and raw material processing for our industries,” he said.