The MTN Foundation has graduated 5,980 young Nigerians from its ICT and business skills training programme, with 600 of the best-performing participants set to receive equipment grants worth N300 million to support their entrepreneurial ventures.
The initiative, designed to equip youths with digital and entrepreneurial skills, trained participants drawn from Plateau, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Enugu, Ondo, Sokoto, Taraba, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Chairperson of the MTN Foundation, Mosun Bello-Olusoga, represented by Mallam Sura Judddeen Yakubu, described the event as a celebration of resilience and innovation among young Nigerians.
“Today is more than a graduation ceremony. It is a celebration of resilience, courage and possibility. As I look across this hall, I don’t just see graduates; I see builders, innovators and architects of Nigeria’s tomorrow,” she said.
She noted that the training programme, which lasted five weeks, attracted about 6,000 young entrepreneurs, but only 5,980 completed the course successfully.
According to her, the top 600 participants from the cohort will benefit from equipment grants drawn from a N300 million fund to help them launch or expand their businesses.
“This grant is not just financial support; it is an investment in your future and in the future of our nation,” she said, urging the graduates to use their newly acquired skills to create solutions and opportunities within their communities.
Olusoga explained that the initiative is part of a broader commitment by the MTN Foundation to empower Nigerian youths with digital and entrepreneurial skills for a rapidly evolving economy.
She added that since the programme began eight years ago, more than 15,000 young Nigerians have been trained and supported to build sustainable businesses.
Executive Director of the MTN Foundation, Mrs. Odunayo Sanya, said the programme reflects the organisation’s belief that businesses must contribute meaningfully to the communities they serve.
“At MTN, we believe that a business is only as good as the people it serves. Our commitment has always been about connecting with Nigerians and helping them achieve their dreams,” she said.
Sanya disclosed that the MTN Foundation, funded through one per cent of MTN Nigeria’s annual profit after tax, has invested about N33 billion in social interventions over the past 22 years.
She said the foundation’s projects have impacted nearly 4,000 communities across the country and reached about 520 local government areas, with a target of covering all 774 LGAs nationwide.
According to her, the ICT and business skills initiative, which started in 2018, has trained 15,362 young Nigerians so far and has received investments of over N1 billion.
She explained that the programme initially ran as a physical training but was moved online in 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling the foundation to reach more participants across the country.
Sanya added that the latest cohort attracted hundreds of thousands of applications, highlighting the growing demand for digital and entrepreneurial skills among Nigerian youths.
“You were selected from thousands of applicants, and you stayed the course. That alone shows that success may be difficult, but it is achievable,” she told the graduates.
