For
the last two months or so I have pumped the issue of Youwin the FGNs business
grant program down the throats of my friends, family and strangers especially
my social media contacts. I tend to be skeptical about FG policies and programs
but embraced this one seeing that it’s a win-win situation. I still believe that
it’s a program for the elite and will do very little for Nigerian women, but if
we can get more than the 1200 winners of the premier Youwin competition this
time and they can employ at least 5 people each men and women that will be at
least 6000 people employed. The remaining 140million Nigerians that are
unemployed will get their chance when the competition is re launched soon.
I
insist that it’s a win-win situation even if you don’t win this edition because:
1.
You can apply next time; The FGN earmarked 50billion Naira for the program last
year, they only got 1200 winners and I’m sure very few got the full grant sum
of 10million.
2.
If indeed you did good research, have a decent feasibility study and a feasible
business plan your ideas or business plan cannot go to waste, for you to become
an entrepreneur you need to dust your proposal and show it to investors, one
may get several rejections but somewhere out there your yes awaits you.
3.
There are other funds available from the FGN and other sources do a little digging and you may find a
program that’s right for you. For women we await the new CBN business program
for women coming up. If you didn’t apply for Youwin you might get a chance with
CBNs program.
4.
If you have gone as far as submitting your concept note, that means you have a
fair idea of what you’re doing. In some cases by scaling down the size of your
project you may find that you don’t need outside funding after all and you can
start on your own or with others. In fact by the time you start something
tangible you have a shot at applying for a grant from Youwin and other sources,
with higher chances of getting the grant.
5.
All over the world you hear about venture capitalists and angel investors but
they seem not to exist or are virtually impossible to locate in Nigeria.
Instead of dumping money in the bank wealthy Nigerians can put their money to
work for them by investing in some of the business plans being submitted for
youwin.
Doing
old things in a new way; of the three tenets of youwin the one that seems to
frustrate people the most is innovation. Women have been running helter-skelter
nationwide trying to find or create brand new businesses. This is due to lack
of business education, even those that attended schools of higher learning seem
to be handicapped in that respect. I presented Youwin to an audience of 48
women to aid them in applying for the grant unfortunately none could give me an
innovative business idea.
Yes
new things are created everyday but you don’t have to be the one to create it,
you can pick something old add value to it by making some changes or
improvements. In answer to the many phone calls, text messages and visits from
women who want to apply for Youwin; I say look around you, within our immediate
environments alone we can find several things that can be improved upon. Don’t
wait for the solution to come from Asia, America or Europe we know our
challenges better and if there’s the possibility that other people have the
same problem and will pay to use or own your solution then Youwin awaits you.
Do
some modern marketing etc and you are good to go. It’s not a person’s level of
education or social prowess that will determine their ability to succeed rather
it’s the beauty of the idea by virtue of its being innovative. It’s ability to
create and sustain jobs and; for it to be economically viable.
Women
tend to be highly creative and innovative, entering the kitchen and creating
gourmet meals out of remnants is a typical example, juggling family schedules
is another. People generally need to set aside or find a way to throw out their
business inhibitions after all nothing ventured nothing gained. To be an entrepreneur
is a big challenge and I’m glad Nigerian women are ready.
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