The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has trained no fewer than 253 youths in Ekiti State on entrepreneurship and business management skills. The one-week programme, tagged ‘Entrepreneurship Development Training (EDT)’, was held for young people in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state to promote small business growth and self-employment.
The sessions were facilitated by experienced Small Business Development experts who offered practical guidance to help participants turn their business ideas into sustainable ventures. The training covered high-value areas such as business planning, financial management, opportunity identification, and enterprise sustainability, all aimed at promoting economic empowerment and job creation.
Declaring the exercise open, the Director General of NDE, Silas Ali Agara, said the initiative was designed to equip the youths with relevant entrepreneurial and business management skills for self-reliance and economic development. Represented by the NDE State Coordinator, Orelusi Michael Omoniyi, the DG explained that the training was part of the agency’s continued efforts to reduce unemployment and promote wealth creation through entrepreneurship in Nigeria.
Agara urged the beneficiaries to apply the knowledge gained to start and grow their own businesses, stressing that “youth entrepreneurship is a powerful tool for driving inclusive economic growth in Ekiti and across the nation.”
A representative of Femiboyede Consulting Limited, Chief Femi Boyede, praised the participants’ commitment and enthusiasm throughout the programme. He stated that “sustained learning, discipline, and innovation remain key to achieving long-term business success.”
Some of the participants expressed appreciation to NDE and the facilitators, noting that the training had expanded their entrepreneurial mindset and positioned them to become job creators. They appealed to the agency to provide startup tools and equipment to help them begin their ventures.
