No fewer than 633 small business owners from Sokoto State have graduated from the MTN ICT and Business Skills Training Initiative (Phase 7), alongside 5,980 youths across Nigeria who completed the programme designed to strengthen digital and entrepreneurial capacity among young Nigerians.
The graduation and grants presentation ceremony was held at the Abuja Continental Hotel and organised by the MTN Nigeria Foundation as part of its nationwide effort to equip youths and micro-entrepreneurs with practical digital and business skills.
Participants of the programme, aged between 18 and 35, underwent an intensive five-week training focused on digital tools, online business development, and strategies for scaling small enterprises in today’s digital economy.
Out of the 633 participants from Sokoto State, 40 outstanding small business owners were selected to receive business grants of up to ₦500,000 each to support the growth and expansion of their enterprises.
Speaking during the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Sokoto State Ministry of Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Nasir Daniya, who represented the Commissioner, described the achievement as a significant milestone for the state’s digital and entrepreneurship development efforts.
“This programme has provided our young entrepreneurs and business owners with the digital knowledge and practical skills required to grow sustainable businesses in the modern economy,” Daniya said.
He added that the strong participation of Sokoto beneficiaries reflects the increasing interest among young people in the state to embrace innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship.
“We are proud to see 633 small business owners from Sokoto successfully complete this programme, and we are particularly encouraged that 40 of them have been recognised with grants to expand their businesses,” he stated.
The event also featured the unveiling of the top 600 microbusiness owners selected nationwide to receive equipment support grants valued at up to ₦300 million.
During the programme, the Honourable Minister of State for Finance-Designate, Prof. Taiwo Oyedele, delivered a presentation highlighting ongoing federal government plans to strengthen Nigeria’s startup ecosystem and create more opportunities for technology-driven enterprises.
Participants also took part in interactive sessions where experienced entrepreneurs shared insights, lessons, and real-life success stories on building sustainable businesses in Nigeria’s evolving digital economy.
