Junior Achievement Nigeria and NLNG Cooperative have joined forces to train women entrepreneurs. Their partnership targets female business owners across Nigeria's oil-rich communities.
The collaboration rolled out the JA Be Entrepreneurial program in Finima Community, Bonny, Rivers State. Thirty young women completed the intensive training scheme.
Participants learned hairstyling techniques alongside core business principles. The dual approach gave them both technical skills and entrepreneurial knowledge.
Olaolu Akogun, acting executive director of JA Nigeria, believes entrepreneurship transforms lives. He told participants that self-sufficiency begins with the right mindset and training.
"We partnered with NLNG Cooperative to bring this opportunity to Finima," Akogun said. According to him, hairstyling provides these women with a concrete, income-generating skill.
His organization aims to move participants from financial dependence to independence. Creating and owning successful businesses remains the ultimate goal.
Akogun praised NLNG Cooperative's commitment to the initiative. He noted their support created space where innovation and economic opportunity intersect.
All 30 graduates completed the program with enhanced technical abilities. They also gained stronger business thinking and practical management skills for self-employment ventures.
Experienced hairstylists delivered technical instruction throughout the five-week course. Entrepreneurship specialists taught business management and financial literacy.
Certificates were awarded to mark successful completion. Each graduate received formal recognition of their newly developed capabilities.
The program ran from April through May 2026 under the banner "Think it. Create it.
Own it." Timing allowed participants to launch operations during peak business season.
Jacob Osemare, programs officer for Rivers State, called the experience transformative. He observed participants displaying remarkable drive and commitment daily.
"Their determination to build better futures impressed everyone," Osemare told reporters. He expressed confidence that these women will create real economic impact in their neighborhoods.
JA Nigeria operates as part of Junior Achievement Worldwide, a global non-profit. The organization works across 100-plus countries promoting financial literacy and entrepreneurship.
Their programs focus on youth in four key areas: financial literacy, work readiness, entrepreneurship, and digital skills. Hands-on, experiential learning drives their educational approach.
