ASBON to train entrepreneurs, seeks to create 10,000 businesses

With the growing need for evolution of more small businesses to drive job creation and inclusive growth in the country, the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON) has finalised plans to empower aspiring and existing entrepreneurs in a training and empowerment workshop ahead of its forthcoming National Small Business Week.

Olufemi Egbesola, president, ABSON, while speaking at a briefing at the weekend, said the association was organising a one-month training and capacity-building programme designed to assist aspiring entrepreneurs to kick start a new business and for existing entrepreneurs to expand their businesses.

Speaking on the upcoming National Small Business Week, Egbesola described it as the first of its kind in Africa, saying the association, in collaboration with its newspaper Weekly Small Business News, was organising the week-long programme to bring together all Nigerians in small businesses nationwide and other allied bodies and associations.

It is aimed at fostering unity, growth, advancement and unprecedented awareness of small businesses in Nigeria, he said. The week is scheduled to hold from November 17 to 22, and will feature exhibition of products and services.

The ASBON president said successful applicants from a selection process will be trained on chosen businesses of interest for one week, and training would include mainly practical with practice sessions of chosen businesses by professionals and consultants.

“At the end of the training exercise, successful best trainees would be empowered with money grants to start or expand their businesses,” he said, adding that on the last day of the National Small Business Week, winners of the money grants would be presented their cheques while other trained candidates will be presented certificates of participation.

The essence of this exercise is to reduce poverty and alleviate joblessness in Nigeria by empowering successful candidates to become business owners and to increase the business management skills of intending and existing entrepreneurs, according to Egbesola.

“At the end of this exercise, our projection is to create about 10,000 new businesses that may be able to employ additional 20,000 hands, meaning that the programme is designed to create about 30,000 jobs,” he said.

He further said the winners will also enjoy a six-month partnership and mentoring from our association before the business becomes wholly theirs. This is to ensure that the money is not diverted to other purposes and to assist them overcome challenges incidental to start-up businesses.

“They will also enjoy the benefit of becoming registered members of our association. Other trainees will be fully equipped and prepared with all the requisite skills to start and run businesses in the Nigerian environment successfully,” he said.

He said governments, corporate organisations, international bodies, well-meaning Nigerians would be brought together to make the National Small Business Week a success.

“To us, while the programme is in our custody, the programme itself is beyond us. It is the Nigerian programme. Hence, all Nigerians and corporate bodies whose hearts are disposed to the growth of small businesses shall be actively engaged in the national event,” said Egbesola.

FEMI ASU