Youth-led organisation empowers young entrepreneurs with grants

Focus Initiative Concern (FIC), a youth-led non-governmental organisation, has empowered young entrepreneurs with financial support to boost their businesses.

About 50 youth beneficiaries were offered grants during the Make-A-Mark Youth summit in Lagos on Friday.

The Make-A-Mark Youth Summit and Empowerment Initiative seeks to build a network of young entrepreneurs in the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector in Lagos.

Speaking during the summit, Funmi Olotu, FIC founder, said the initiative was created to build a platform for young Nigerians who want to expand their businesses and get mentorship.

Olotu, a senior special assistant (SSA) on state lotteries to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos state governor, noted that the empowerment of the youth is a key factor in national development.

“FIC focuses on the development of youths and their impact on the society. As we know, entrepreneurs bring innovative solutions to the problems in our society,” Olotu said.

“Hence, when the youths of the nation channel their efforts into businesses that foster the economic growth and development in our community, there is need to provide a platform, mentorship and support for knowledge acquisition and establishment. This brought about the Make-A-Mark youth summit and empowerment initiative.

“The aim of this summit is to create a platform for adequate training, mentorship support and empowerment for the youths that venture into small and medium size businesses. This summit will also serve as a means of encouragement to other youths that have different skills and dreams to start something that can help them and develop the nation as a whole.

“Like Franklin D. Roosevelt said, we cannot always build a future for our youth, but we can always build our youth for the future. I’m challenging us all to use this summit as another avenue in the development of ourselves and businesses.

“I’m very positive that this summit will serve as the beginning of something impactful in the lives of our youths. To end my speech, I’ll like to thank our major sponsor BetKing and other supporting partners for the collective effort in making the summit successfully executed.”

The event was also graced by Adunni Ade, a Nollywood actress; African Farmer Mogaji, chief executive officer of FarmCredit NG; Lanre Dasilver Ayayi, a leading Nigerian fashion designer; and Gossy Ukanwoke, managing director of BetKing.

Also speaking at the event, Folashade Coker, director of informal sector and special duties, Lagos State Inland Revenue Service (LSIRS), urged the youth entrepreneurs to understand tax regulations required while building up their businesses.

She also encouraged them to be tax compliant and align with the appropriate tax authorities.