Eight young entrepreneurs in Jigawa State have each secured seed funding under the British Council’s Youth Connect Programme, receiving a combined two million naira in business grants.
The grants follow an intensive eight-week entrepreneurship training organised by the British Council in partnership with King’s Trust International, the Jigawa State Government, and the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD). The programme trained 80 participants in business management, digital skills, innovation, ICT, marketing, and soft skills.
According to a statement signed by Dr. Yahaya Janga, Programme Manager Non-formal Education at the British Council, the beneficiaries emerged after a competitive selection process from the wider pool of 80 trainees. He explained that the grants aim to provide practical financial backing alongside skills acquisition to help young people build sustainable businesses.
“After an intensive eight-week training, participants pitched their ideas, with eight winners securing seed grants to kick-start their businesses,” the statement noted.
Dr. Janga urged the recipients to apply the grants judiciously, stressing that the British Council designed the initiative to support enterprise creation, reduce unemployment, and cut reliance on government jobs.
Professor Yunusa Zakari Ya’u, Executive Director of CITAD, represented by Malam Isa Garba, said the training and grants were structured to bridge Nigeria’s widening skills gap by equipping youths with market-driven competencies. He added that the competitive evaluation process ensured that only the most viable business concepts received funding.
The Youth Connect Programme, backed by both international and local partners, reflects a broader effort to empower Nigerian youths with opportunities that foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and job creation.
With Jigawa as one of the pilot states, the initiative is expected to strengthen small business development while inspiring similar models across the country.
