Last year, after a rigorous application and selection process, Twenty Young entrepreneurs were selected from across Nigeria and brought to Lagos for the first edition of the Budding Entrepreneurs programme.

Amongst the selected 20 were Amadi Peter, a catfish farmer from Bayelsa, Abubakar Yusuf, a tomato farmer from Jigawa, Abdulazeez Aminat, a fashion designer from Kebbi state, Frederick Destiny, a waste recycler from Benin and Emuveyan Tejiri, a Bottled Water manufacturer based in Ota, Ogun state.

These young entrepreneurs were put through an intensive entrepreneurship and business skill development training for Six weeks. During this period, they visited companies such as Unilever, IO furniture, Nestle Nigeria, Microsoft Nigeria, Beloxxi Industries where they gained insight and knowledge from established business processes and were able to network with the CEOs, Brand Managers and Marketing Managers of these companies.

They also took part in community development activities where they cleaned up places like the Oniru Market and also shared relief materials, books and clothing items they gathered at Ilasamaja.

Fast forward a few months after the programme, these twenty young Nigerians are starting to give value to the respective communities and states. An example is Destiny Frederick who has not only been able to expand her recycling business but has been able to increase her staff strength by employing young Nigerians including youth corpers in her community.

The 2016 edition of the Budding Entrepreneurs Programme has commenced and applications are currently being accepted for the twenty young entrepreneurs for this year’s edition.

1. Trains young entrepreneurs in specific business skills
2. Provide mentoring & support networks from employed/ Entrepreneurial members of YBLN Network
3. Create quality networking opportunities
4. Provide necessary advisory support needed to businesses and equip these entrepreneurs with training to create their own brand building toolkits that would include logos, marketing plans & templates.


PROGRAMME COMPONENTS
The BEP 2016 comprises of the following aspects
i. In-depth Course Content with emphasis on experiential learning
ii. Community Service activities aimed at creating a culture of giving back to the society.
iii. Site Visits to top Nigerian companies and industries for firsthand experience and networking.
iv. Recreational and social activities.

HOW TO APPLY
Visit www.yblnigeria.com or click this link and click the “Apply Now” link on the right sidebar.
Be sure to follow us on facebook, twitter and instagram via the handle “yblnigeria” as announcements, updates and information regarding final selection and the programme will only be made via these platforms.

ENTRY CRITERIA
• Applicant must not be younger than 18 or older than 35 as at 31 December,
2016.
• Applicant must be able to write and speak English.
• Applicant must have a track record of past achievements in their communities
• Applicant must have a start-up not older than 0-3 years to be considered.
• Applicant must exude passion, personal drive and initiative.
• Due to the physically demanding program schedule, expectant or nursing
mothers are not eligible to apply
• Applicant must be religiously tolerant and non-discriminatory in approach or
relations.
• Applicant must be prepared and ready to devote an uninterrupted time of
6weeks to the BE Programme.
• Applicant must be a Nigerian National with a Birth certificate, Valid national ID
card, Driver’s license, passport or voter’s card to prove.
• Applicants must not be past or current beneficiaries of grants or seed fund
awards from similar programmes.



Mod please help push to front page as this program could be the answer to self empowerement and unemployment in 9ja.
Thanks