MY GRANT STORY

It was in 2013, I was really a frustrated Architect who had worked with a firm that was either owing the previous month’s salary or paying us half month salary. As this fateful year, I was working with another firm but the pay was not yielding commensurate to the work and stress. Not to mention me barely having time for family.

A day came when I thought to myself; “I can’t continue living like this.” I had no prior business experience, not even an idea of which business, much less where to get capital to start one. During the regime of Goodluck Jonathan then, I heard about a Grant Scheme (YOUWIN). But I had issues identifying which business idea to use and apply with due to conflict of interest. I wanted to do Music, Farming, 3D Animations and so many other unrelated stuffs that could have easily disqualified me. This now became another problem, what business industry/type do I use to apply.
In the midst of my confused dilemma, my wife said; “I’ve heard some people mentioned millions of money in fish farming. Have you considered fish farming?” Ah! I thought to myself; “I don’t even know jack about fish farming.” I have neither done it nor had any prior knowledge of it before. But I thought deeply and remembered I had an Uncle who was a Medical Doctor; He had written some unpublished books from his passionate research about farming African Catfishes. That was how I found my way to his house that weekend despite the distance. Luckily for me, he still had those books stacked up somewhere on his master bedroom’s wardrobe. I got them, got home and studied them as if I was preparing for an exam even though it was just few weeks to the closing date of the application. Few days to the end date, I was still studying and answering questions based on my researches. Incidentally on the final date of closing was when I finished and submitted at last.

As it played out, I scaled into the next stage where we were trained at Yaradua Conference Centre in a 3 days’ intensive Boot Camp located within the heart of Central Business District of FCT. Good enough I lived not more than 40 minutes away from the destination and the exercise was rounded up successfully.

Some months later, we were invited for an interview which would determine if we qualified or not. I packaged myself, printed enough hard copies of my brief preliminary business plan and prepared as if though I was going for a Job interview. We were grouped into multi-batches where different grouped panel of Judges were to determine our fate. I noticed some people would come out almost in tears while others would be frowning and some smiling. When it got to my turn, I entered and saw 3 Judges (two elderly men and a young lady) looking at me as if I came to collect government money to run away with it. Calmly I waited for them to permit me to sit down and mimed all the melodious words I had rehearsed the night before. Where I finally bluffed was when they asked me if it was better to buy the land or to rent. Since I wanted to become a Landlord, I said to buy of course. As if that were not enough, they asked me about my Capital budget. I started enumerating and got hooked along the way without getting to my anticipated N10M target. “Yepa!” I said in my mind. “I don flop.” I was gently released from their midst like a good looking beauty who had farted loudly in quite gathering. “Chai!”

Even though I thought I had goofed so much that I will be disqualified, I later got a mail that invited me for Validation, Verification and signing of documents. Only for me to get there, low and behold I was approved for N8M. “Hulala” I was elated even though my N10M expectation had been reduced. At least half “Puff-Puff” is better than full “Chin-Chin” which in other words goes to say that half bread is better than null.

I thought I would get alert by the following day or week since they had already made us to register a business name and open a corporate account. I was wrong about the timing of payments, it took another time of waiting before the first path of the three tranches was paid. With that, I and my wife went, scouted and we were able to secure a land at a reasonable cost in a good location. At least the plot also had good proximity to a flowing stream where we could drain waste water without disturbing neighbours. After paying, we began fencing the perimeter walls and then started the gate house. Along the line, first tranche got exhausted. We had to wait for the supervisors to come and see what we had done Vis a Vis the released funds before the second tranche would be processed and paid.

Another series of protocols and waiting started. We had no choice other than to wait and wait until when like cool water to a thirsty voyager, we got our second tranche of payment. Since we must work according to budget and milestones, we had to ensure we completed the perimeter fencing, construct the ponds, drill a borehole, install overhead tank, Stanchions, accessories and continue the gate house. In the midst of it, that was how the second tranche got spent on amenities.

This time around in early 2015, over a year had gone and we have not finished erecting all our physical factors required for production. It was in the midst of waiting that a good friend I made from the Boot Camp told me about GEMS. Another Grant opportunity funded majorly by IMF (World Bank) in partnership with the ministry of Chamber and Commerce. Coincidentally, it was meant for existing businesses that were over 6 months old. Although we had not fully began operations since we were only able to afford just basic production facilities with the first and second tranche, I still went ahead and applied.

Over one year later in the first quarter 2016, I was invited for the first interview of GEMS. This first one had three categories of outcome; the first is that you qualified directly to access the grant, the second is that you are out rightly disqualified and the third is that you will be drilled, trained and accessed to ascertain if you can qualify finally for the Grant. I fell into the third category.

In the midst of waiting for the outcome, we got the final YOUWIN tranche in 2017 that enabled us to finalize all our factors of operation; completion and fertilization of ponds, procurement fish seeds and commencement of operations.

In January 2018, I finally got a call from PwC (Price Water House Cooper) to inform me that they have been delegated to train me and my team over a 6 months period in order to gear us up for the required points needed for the IMF Grant. It had two categories of assessments which also would result into two category of rewards. They were the Matching Grant and Performance Grant. One of them will mean you only qualify for professional counsels and Technical Supports while on the second qualifies you to access the Funds.

Fortunately at the end of 8 months with lots of rigorous procedures, business schooling, plenty assignments with practical exercises that covered Finance, Operations, Management, Marketing and Sales, we made it and got paid in two tranches within the space of 4-5 months. We have been able to scale up to add a Poultry house and a mini-scale banana plantation that uses the fish waste water (rich in Ammonia) for organic manure.

My name Amos Egboche and it would be a rare privilege to walk you through this lane though it won't be fully free. You can Call/Chat through +2348067187090

Amyeboche:
MY GRANT STORY

My name Amos Egboche and it would be a rare privilege to walk you through this lane though it won't be fully free. You can Call/Chat through +2348067187090

Great story. Happy it ended in praise.
And thanks for thinking of sharing it here as it could reignite hope in the minds of Nigerians that something positive can still be made within this geographic space.