Goodluck Jonathan during his reign as Nigeria’s President initiated the YouWin! Small and Medium Enterprise, SME Growth Fund responsible for creating over 22,000 jobs – but as Muhammodu Buhari took over as President, it was put on hold with intention to scrape.

However, a source revealed that Buhari has succumbed to pressure and has given his approval for the YouWiN relaunch.

The source disclosed that Buhari was initially unconvinced about the programe but finally bowed to pressure to continue with YouWiN but, albeit, under a new name.

This laudable project was began by former president Goodluck Jonathan with sponsorship from World Bank under the coordination of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Former Finance Minister Okonji-Iweala with YouWiN winners

This affected the payment of the YouWiN3 Awardees who up till now have not received their 2nd and 3rd tranches. Expectedly, this has affected their businesses threatening them to the point of folding up if nothing is done to pay them the remaining funds.

In order not to get Nigerians talking about the government copying the works of the “ineffectual Buffon” as tagged by The Economist, a new name and a new platform has been created.

The YouWiN Programme has been renamed “BUSINESS INNOVATION GROWTH (BIG)” by the Buhari administration.

Interested Nigerians can log into the new website and enter for the competition: www.bigportal.org.ng

HISTORY

imageFrom 2012 to 2015, the Jonathan government gave away over $100 million dollars to over 3,000 entrepreneurs as part of the YouWin competition. More than $50 million has already been disbursed. The winning entrepreneurs have received grants averaging $50,000 dollars to start or expand a business, and thus create jobs. Only people ages 40 and younger were allowed to apply.

In 2011, the former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan formally launched the first round of the business competition YouWin.

In the first of four rounds, the government granted $58 million to 1,200 entrepreneurs.



Goodluck Jonathan had the following words for YouWiN;

Bill Gates’ Microsoft and Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook are eloquent testimonies to the capacity of the youth to dream big and win big in an innovative manner. We have such men and women in this land too: our challenge is to find them early, nurture them and encourage them.”


http://www.opinionriver.com/president-buhari-bows-to-pressure-relaunch-jonathans

PMB should build on GEJ'S good projects. Nice one.

Not a bad idea.

Thank God 'Change' had had an eye to see

Great!! Now do not run this project without the participation of the private sector.

Bubu lack foresight. The more reason we miss GeJ

Buhari Intended to "change" from funding those 22,000 people?

Clueless Junketer!

hitman2015:
PMB should build on GEJ'S good projects. Nice one.

which one?

what is the meaning of "bow to pressure" when the guy already told u he will hold on to policies he thinks it is good and delete the bad ones?

BIG = B usiness I ntegration for G ambaris.

SouthernBreeze:
Bubu lack foresight. The more reason we miss GeJ

No, you lack 'foresight', the more reason you miss Gej.

I tot they said youwin is a scam. Confused people

Kenai:
[s]BIG = B usiness I ntegration for G ambaris.[/s]

dry!

SLIDEwaxie:
what is the meaning of "bow to pressure" when the guy already told u he will hold on to policies he thinks it is good and delete the bad ones?

Don't mind these newspapers and their crumbs. He has the executive power to cancel the program and also to make it stand- I don't know whose pressure he has succumbed to right now.

Op. The site you provided says bandwidthl limit exceeded.

Is the laughed in a cyber cafe?