Connect with us


As part of its objectives to empower the next generation of small and micro entrepreneurs with business intelligence and start-up grants, a United Kingdom-based company, AACLE International, has partnered the alumni association of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State to organize a first-of-its-kind entrepreneurship seminar, for students of the institution and potential entrepreneurial-inclined alumni.

The seminar holds Wednesday, August 16, 2017; with the theme “Promoting entrepreneurial mindset and enhancing career choice and development.”

According to the national president of the alumni association, Shittu Olaleye, “Our focus for this seminar is to prepare final year students for the labour market, equip them with basic skills they would require to survive in an economy that is stricken by scarce job opportunities; inculcate leadership qualities and administrative exposure in the youths and give those with entrepreneurial inclination a platform to harness their skills.”

Shittu further said that though the alumni association had always organized such seminars because of their belief that prospective and substantive members should be developed as they simultaneously develop their school, partnering with AACLE would help to reach out to more students.

Founded by Nigerian professionals in the UK, AACLE is equally creating a nationwide business opportunities in food distribution for five unemployed people per state. Already, the Kwara State government has bought into this.

Also, the organization, which motto is ‘Let’s Fly Together’, has registered many young Nigerians in the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Entrepreneurship Development Centre.

Though registration fee for the CBN-EDC is N5, 000, AACLE offered to pay for 600 Nigerians who register on their platform and possess a minimum of OND qualification and a BVN among other requirements.

Every person that enrolls for the program enjoys world-class facilitation and business development services which also include writing of their business plans and post-training field visits, access to funding from the CBN MSME intervention fund and other funding opportunities, linkage with established organizations for internship, as well as 12 months of post-training mentoring from the center.

According to its Director of Social Enterprise, Tosin Adebusuyi, AACLE’s core targets are young school leavers and young adults with viable business ideas and SMEs who would be given business grants ranging from N20, 000 to N1million.

The aim of AACLE is to help bridge the gaps as a social enterprise that provides a veritable and robust space for interaction among entrepreneurs on one hand; and interaction with solution providers on the other hand.

These solution providers are both private and institutional and they bring to the table the seed capital, start-up fund, growth capital and expansion fund to existing and start-up SMEs.

Further, she said, AACLE also hopes to provide existing and struggling small ventures with growth financing with no or relaxed collateral security, support pensioners and the unemployed with small grants for business ventures and provide free on-line counsel to the unemployed in CV writing, job hunting and interview preparation.

Advertisement

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

BIG STORY

UPDATE: Friends Of Late Band Boy Insist “Overnight Beating” Led To His Demise, Not Suicide [VIDEOS]

Published

on

Friends and acquaintances of the late 26-year-old Lagos-based guitarist, Lekan, have raised new concerns regarding the circumstances of his tragic death, claiming that it was the severe beating he endured, rather than suicide, that ultimately led to his passing.

Lekan was found lifeless inside his room after allegedly consuming an insecticide liquid, sniper, following accusations of stealing money from his band leader, Sam Omo-Oba.

While initial reports suggested that Lekan took his own life in the wake of the allegations, his friends believe the brutal torture he faced at the hands of his boss is to blame for his untimely death.

According to a close friend of the deceased, who spoke in a video by a social media personality “Dr. Oyinlomo Diamond”, the beating began late at night and continued throughout the following morning.

A friend of the late guitarist also mentioned that there was no Snipper in the room where Lekan was found dead.

Recall that in a video that circulated on social media, Lekan is seen denying the theft allegations while being repeatedly slapped and punched by Sam Omo-Oba and other members of the band.

Despite the physical assault, Lekan maintained his innocence, but it appeared that the torture only intensified after his refusal to confess.

 

See videos below:

Continue Reading

BIG STORY

Nigeria’s Crude Oil Production Now 1.8million Barrels Per Day (BPD) — NNPCL

Published

on

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says Nigeria’s oil production has reached 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd).

According to NAN, Lawal Musa, NNPC chief production war room officer, spoke during a briefing on the national oil company’s production on Thursday.

Musa, who doubles as a senior business advisor to Mele Kyari, NNPC group chief executive officer (GCEO), said the increased oil production followed the continuous dislodgement of pipeline vandals and crude oil thieves.

He said the achievement was based on the partnership between the leadership of the company, stakeholders, and security agencies.

“We achieved this because of the clear mandate by President Bola Tinubu to ramp up crude oil production in the country,” Musa said.

On November 11, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) said Nigeria’s current production level, including crude oil and condensates, has reached 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd), up from 1.54 million bpd in September.

Enorense Amadasu, executive commissioner of development and production at NUPRC, said there are plans to raise the figure to 2 million bpd by year-end.

Amadasu said the country’s crude oil and condensate output is expected to increase amid a plan to open bids for 31 onshore and offshore oil blocks.

The next day, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said Nigeria’s average daily crude oil production, excluding condensates, increased marginally to 1.33 million bpd in October.

Continue Reading

BIG STORY

FEC Approves $2.2bn Borrowing Plan To Support Economic Reforms

Published

on

The federal executive council (FEC) has approved a $2.2 billion external borrowing plan to strengthen the country’s finances and support economic reforms.

Wale Edun, the minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, spoke to journalists at the end of the FEC meeting on Thursday, presided over by President Bola Tinubu.

The minister said the financing package will be raised through a combination of eurobonds and sukuk.

He said approximately $1.7 billion is expected from the eurobond offer and $500 million from the sukuk financing.

The minister disclosed that the borrowing would happen this fiscal year, stressing that the ultimate funding arrangement would be decided by market conditions and the transaction adviser’s counsel.

“The first objective is to complete the federal government’s external borrowing programme with the approval of the $2.2 billion financing package, which will include access to the international capital market through a combination of Eurobonds and Sukuk bonds —approximately $1.7 billion from the Eurobond offer and $500 million from Sukuk financing,” Edun said.

“The actual composition of the financing will be finalised once the national assembly has considered and approved the borrowing plan.

“After the external borrowing approval is granted, the funds will be raised as soon as possible within the year.

“The exact combination of instruments will depend on the advice of transaction advisers and market conditions when we decide to enter the market.

“Earlier in the year, we demonstrated the resilience of the Nigerian financial markets and their capacity to handle more complex and sophisticated offerings, such as the domestic issuance of dollar bonds that attracted investors from both Nigeria and abroad.”

Edun said the success of the domestic dollar bond demonstrates the Nigerian financial market’s tenacity.

He said the most recent overseas borrowing was “made possible by the government’s economic agenda, which includes market-based pricing for important economic variables like foreign exchange and petroleum goods.”

The minister said the council also approved the establishment of a N250 billion real estate investment fund with the goal of addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit.

“Approval has been granted for the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) real estate investment fund,” he said.

“This fund will serve as the basis for the revival of long-term mortgage financing in the Nigerian economy.

“The MOFI real estate investment fund will initially amount to N250 billion and will provide low-cost, long-term mortgages to Nigerians who wish to acquire homes. It will help address part of the 22 million-unit housing deficit.

“Of course, it will create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and pave the way for other private sector investors to participate in the housing construction industry, with significant benefits for the broader economy.

“The concept is long-term. Investors will have the opportunity to earn market rates of interest and returns on investment, blended with seed funding of N150 billion.”

Edun said the initiative will provide Nigerians with the opportunity to secure mortgages at interest rates significantly lower than the current market rates, which can exceed 30 percent, with tenures that could extend up to 20 years or more.

Continue Reading

Most Popular