YOUWIN Programme receives accolades with 26, 000 direct jobs

The Federal government has declared that the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin) initiative of the present administration has lived up to expectation having created over 26,000 direct jobs in the six geo-political zones in the one year of its operation.
 
Speaking at the inauguration of the third phase of YouWin recently, President Goodluck Jonathan noted that the programme which was borne out of his administration’s desire to reduce the alarming level of youth unemployment in the country has served as vehicle for empowering young entrepreneurs who have in turn become employers of labour.
 
President Jonathan after inspecting the products displayed by the beneficiaries at the occasion expressed delight at the quality of the products; adding that they will not only serve the domestic needs, but also serve as potential export drivers. He urged Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 45 years to participate in the programme.
 
In her address, the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala explained that beneficiaries from the South-West and North-Central geo-political zones topped the list of beneficiaries of monetary grants in the second phase of the programme.
 
According to the Minister, 292 beneficiaries in the second phase which was opened only to women were from the South-West zone, while 227 were from the North-Central zone. She revealed that 198 beneficiaries were from South-South, 175 from South-East, 157 from North-West and 167 from the North-East.
 
The Finance Minister further explained that the YouWin initiative has witnessed increased patronage by Nigerian youths, pointing out that compared to the 24,000 applications received in the first phase of the programme, the number of applications received in the second phase of the programme has risen to about 65,000.
 
While explaining the working strategies of the YouWin Programme, the Minister indicated that the programme is an online business competition plan. She added that applicants will be trained on business plan development and thereafter 1,200 winners will be selected and provided financial grant of between N1 million and N10 million.
 
Also speaking at the occasion, the Minister of Communication Technology, Omobola Johnson said that with the official launch of the third phase of the programme, the YouWin website has become open for application.  She pointed out that December 31, 2013 has been scheduled as the deadline for the submission of briefs and business proposals; noting the 1,200 winners of financial grants will be selected at the end of February, 2013.