Graduates want govt to co-finance private entrepreneurship programmes for youths

Some graduates participating in the Next TITAN Nigeria Season 6 – a business empowerment television reality programme – have called on government at all levels and corporate organisations to support initiatives that could promote entrepreneurship among youths.

The Next TITAN Nigeria is an entrepreneurship reality show which focuses on harnessing the entrepreneurial ideas of young people and providing them with seed funds to turn their ideas into businesses or grow their existing businesses.

The theme for this year’s edition – Season Six – which has 16 finalists is “Impossible is Possible.”

According to the organisers, the show, the sixth in the series, gives an opportunity to young Nigerians with innovative business ideas to compete with one another in real-life entrepreneurial challenges.

This is in a bid to win some prize money with which to start businesses or build existing businesses.

Another contestant and lawyer, Mr Adebiyi Ajayi, said entrepreneurship was key to attainment of self-sufficiency.

According to him, the value placed on acquisition of degrees is partly responsible for the high rate of unemployment in the country.

“I am a lawyer by training but delved into business. I am a real estate entrepreneur; what we do essentially is to ensure that services in the real estate sector are done timely with excellence.

“We are looking at bringing inclusion and accessibility to the real estate market in Nigeria.

“For this show, we are equally looking at ways for us to be able to get more partnership, sponsorship and investment  and make it something  every Nigerians entrepreneur can identify with in the  future –  something African that will assist in repositioning nations’ economies.

“One unique thing about this show has remained its consistency. This is the sixth season and it is not easy for something that has to do with entrepreneurship or business to last so long,” he said.

Another contestant, Miss Amifeoluwa Yakubu, said in Lagos that the initiative should be celebrated and supported by governments, private organisations and individuals as part of efforts and strategies to reduce unemployment.

Yakubu is involved in mass production of garments, branded apparels and school uniforms, branded shirts and outfits for companies.

“We all know that there is a high level of unemployment especially among the growing youth population in the country.

“This competition is one of the ways to ensure that such a challenge is reduced.

“It usually lasts for 10 weeks, and we are in the eighth week; we have gone through six tasks with this current one, the 7th,” she said.

Yakubu called on governments to create an environment that would encourage young people to become job providers  instead  of job seekers.

“A programme like this which has been on for the past six years and has produced five winners, created jobs, added values to the economy, needs to be supported.”

The grand finale of the show comes up on Dec. 10 with the overall winner carting home N7 million and a brand new Ford.

The 16 finalists emerged after regional auditions in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Lagos.