Hope Builders Skill Development and Acquisition Foundation in collaboration with other non-governmental organisations have empowered over 1000 women and youths in rural areas on various entrepreneurial skills.
The NGOs which include, Hall of Fame Academy (HFA), Diligent Hands International (DHI), Women and Children with Disability Initiative (WACDI), Virgina Empowerment Foundation (VEF), Glowing Splints Development Initiative (GSDI) and Organisation for Non-Formal Education (ONFE), empowered the women and youths through its Community Empowerment Opportunities (CEO) initiative.
The initiative, which is a vocational outreach to rural communities, with the aim of making citizens self-reliant to contribute to the development of the economy, witnessed women and youths in Baruwa, a community in Lagos trained in photography, catering, shoe making, make ups, wig making, turban and fascinators, among other trades.
The Executive Director of Hope Builders Foundation, Folayemisi Adu, said entrepreneurs are the bedrock of any nation, which is why the initiative is targeted at training women and youths to be business owners and contribute towards the growth of the society.
She said the foundation, which was founded in 2013, to train and raise entrepreneurs decided to partner with the six NGOs to pull resources together, bringing in expertise to ensure people in the rural communities are empowered, which according to her is where the bulk of the country’s population dwells.
“With a lot of enlightenment, we can reach the people because entrepreneurs, regardless of where they are located contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a nation’s economy,” she said. NCDMB to partner Indian institutions on research, devt innovations
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has opened discussion on how to leverage on Indian advancement in Information and Communication Technology to boost the Nigerian oil and gas industry’s capability for research and innovations.
This process was kick-started when the Executive Secretary NCDMB, Simbi Wabote, met with the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency, BN Reddy in Abuja to discussed the Board’s plans to engage the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), the Indian Chamber of Commerce and a host of other institutions.
The IIT, a leading university in India, has one of the most successful innovation and entrepreneurship eco-system, with over 160 start-ups over the last six years in various fields, including the oil and gas industry.
It also has on-going relationship with major oil and gas companies including Exxon-Mobil, Shell among others.
Speaking at the meeting, Wabote underscored the trade relations between India and Nigeria especially in the supply of crude oil and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Nigeria supplies 10 percent of India’s crude oil needs.
He stressed that the relationship between the two Commonwealth countries can be deepened in the area of ICT, manufacturing and processing of hydrocarbons.
He explained that the Board is continually looking for ways to push the boundaries of local content practice, especially in key sectors of the economy that are linked to the oil and gas industry and have the capacity to create multiplicity of jobs for Nigerians.
“The way India has grown its technology companies is of interest to the Board and we will like collaborate with your institutions, exchange ideas so we can replicate your achievements in our Research and Development journey.”
The discussion also focused on fostering collaborations between Nigerian manufacturing firms and their Indian counterparts to domesticate the fabrication of modular refineries. The Board also hopes to attract investors from the South Asian country to establish LPG cylinder manufacturing factories in Nigeria and participate in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks Scheme (NOGAPS).
In his welcome comments, the High Commissioner noted that India has the highest rate of start-ups in the world and the feat was achieved through a programme called ‘Start-up India.
He promised to facilitate the Board’s engagements with the Indian institutions, pointing out that the IIT had trained many Indians and impacted their nation’s economy significantly.
He also advised the Board to engage the Indian Chamber of Commerce, which has cluster companies with specialty in ICT and research and development, an area NCDMB is eager to pursue.