The convener of Trek Entrepreneurship Conference (TAEC) 2018, Oki Samson and business mogul, Chief Lanre Razak have urged Nigerian youths to leverage on opportunities available for them and carve a niche for themselves as solution providers rather than job seekers.
Speaking at the third edition of TAEC in Lagos, Razak noted that state governments should provide up to N 5 million takeoff grants to youths, like what obtains in Lagos through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), to aid the entrepreneurial spirit.
He noted that the chain reaction of these available funds would multiply and increase, giving room for others to benefit and grow economically able individuals in the society.
He said: “I admire the activities of young Nigerian entrepreneurs who have been revolutionising their trade. Their successes inspire me to advocate for inclusion of vocation into the country’s educational system.
Razak added that the conference with the theme: Spirit Of Enterprise, was motivating to the extent that a course on entrepreneurship should be incorporated into the country’s university curriculum to help integrate the youth into society so as to groom them ahead of graduation to help curtail unemployment.
He charged unemployed youths to embrace entrepreneurship as the best option in the diversification of the economy.
Responding, Samson said: “It is a fact that various economic indices like rate of inflation, unemployment rate are pointing negative, but we cannot fold our arms.
“Yet, it is unrealistic to expect the government to provide jobs for every single youth in the country, thus, youths should prioritise and learn skills that can take them out of poverty.
“TAEC 2018 brings key players in the private sector, policy makers in government circles and experts in finance and economy together to spur enterprising youths and fashion out strategies that will enable the country extend the frontiers of enterprise development.