The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has started distributing ₦5 billion in grants to more than 30,000 students in higher institutions located in the North West region.
This initiative, launched in Zaria, is backed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen. It is designed to encourage entrepreneurship among students by helping them see education as a gateway to business success.
SMEDAN’s Director-General, Charles Odii, mentioned that this grant is a part of the agency’s plans under the Workforce Support segment of the GROW Nigerian initiative. Apart from financial grants, SMEDAN is also running an Undergraduate Internship Programme to provide real-world business training to students.
“We’re building a generation of skilled and business-minded youths who will drive tomorrow’s economy,” Odii said, adding that similar disbursements will roll out in other zones as the programme expands nationwide.
This programme is focused on encouraging entrepreneurship among young people, giving them the tools and experience needed to start and grow successful ventures early in their lives.
