Over 38,000 Corps Members Thrive as Entrepreneurs through NYSC’s SAED Program

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced that over 38,000 corps members have successfully ventured into entrepreneurship and are thriving as business owners, thanks to its Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program.

During the recent SAED Stakeholders’ Meeting in Abuja, the NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, highlighted the program’s achievements, emphasizing the role of various partners in implementing the SAED initiative.

The NYSC has collaborated with financial institutions and foundations, leading to tangible results such as the construction of well-equipped Skill Acquisition Centers by Access Bank Plc across different geopolitical zones and the financing of corps members’ businesses by Unity Bank and Wema Bank.

While acknowledging that not all corps members may choose entrepreneurship, the NYSC has also made efforts to support those inclined towards white-collar jobs by perfecting its job portal and offering free digital training programs.

Despite the successes, the NYSC DG also mentioned the challenges faced by the SAED program, including the need for more capacity-building training, scholarships for training, access to markets, and favorable loan conditions.

He appealed to stakeholders for continued and enhanced support to overcome these obstacles.

Mrs Ngozi Nwatarali, Director of SAED, reiterated the importance of stakeholder collaboration in achieving the program’s objectives and emphasized the role of NYSC SAED in empowering youths to become self-reliant and contribute to national development.

The NYSC’s SAED program has proven to be an effective tool in fostering self-reliance among Nigerian youths, and with the continued support of stakeholders, it aims to overcome the challenges faced in promoting entrepreneurship and self-reliance among the country’s youth.