The Federal Government has trained students in no fewer than 100 tertiary institutions across the country on entrepreneurship development, as part of a broader strategy to equip young Nigerians with the skills needed to become self-reliant and reduce dependency on government employment.
The initiative, under the Youth Enterprise With Innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN) programme, was disclosed on Friday by the Assistant Director, Finance and Accounts at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Baba, during a training session at the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi.
According to Baba, the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s vision to nurture entrepreneurial potential among Nigerian youth at an early stage.
“We have covered more than 100 tertiary institutions and with this initiative, the generation to come will be better,” he said.
“They have to have entrepreneurship skills to be able to fall back and grow as entrepreneurs and become employers of labour in the event of not getting a white-collar job.”
Baba outlined the programme’s two-pronged structure:
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Plan A involves providing theoretical training in entrepreneurship.
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Plan B focuses on the practical aspect, with funding in the form of grants to be disbursed to the entrepreneurship departments of institutions, for onward distribution to the most promising student entrepreneurs.
He urged students to take the training seriously and prepare to utilise the grants effectively when they become available. He also encouraged them to seek additional support from institutions such as the Bank of Industry to fund their business ventures.
On her part, Deborah Tatimi, a facilitator at the session, highlighted that the YOUWIN programme is designed to “inspire, equip, and encourage” students to view entrepreneurship as a viable and fulfilling career path.
“The programme is not just about starting a business, but about fostering innovation, self-reliance, and employment generation,” Tatimi said.
She added that by shifting focus from government jobs to entrepreneurship, the country can build a more resilient and innovative economy.
Also speaking, the Registrar of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, Kasim Salihu, commended the federal government for choosing the institution to benefit from the training.
He stressed that while students are already being trained theoretically in entrepreneurship, access to funding remains essential to help them put their skills into practice.
The initiative aligns with broader national education goals. On 5 June 2025, it was reported that Minister of Education, Dr Moruf Alausa, had called on tertiary institutions to prioritise the production of graduates who are not only employable but also job creators.
Dr Alausa emphasised that entrepreneurial graduates are essential to achieving national development, noting that despite Nigeria’s youthful and talented population, unemployment remains a significant challenge.
The YOUWIN programme represents one of the government’s responses to that challenge, aiming to harness the potential of Nigeria’s youth to drive economic growth through innovation and self-employment.
