British Council Awards N2m Business Grants To 8 Jigawa Youths

Eight young entrepreneurs from Jigawa State have won a two-million-naira grant from the British Council after an eight-week intensive entrepreneurship training organised by the British Council in partnership with King’s Trust International, the  State Government, and the Centre for Information Technology and Development.

The British Council, following a comprehensive evaluation, awarded the grant to the eight young beneficiaries after their selection from a group of 80 participants who completed the training covering areas such as business management, digital skills, and innovation.

The British Council has awarded a total of two million naira in seed grants to eight young entrepreneurs in Jigawa State.

The funding comes under its Youth Connect Programme, which aims to tackle unemployment by giving young people practical skills and financial backing to grow sustainable businesses.

A statement signed by the Programme Manager Non-formal Education, British Council, Dr Yahaya Janga, made available to TVC on Friday, revealed that the beneficiaries were selected from a group of 80 participants who completed an intensive eight-week training on entrepreneurship, covering areas such as business management, digital skills, and innovation.

The statement reads, “The programme was organised by the British Council in partnership with King’s Trust International, the Jigawa State Government, and the Centre for Information Technology and Development, and trained 80 young people in areas such as digital skills, ICT, entrepreneurship, marketing, and soft skills.

“After an intensive eight-week training, participants pitched their ideas, with eight winners securing seed grants to kick-start their businesses.”

Dr Yahaya Janga urged the winners to use the grants wisely, stressing that the aim is to help young Nigerians build enterprises that will create jobs and reduce dependence on government employment.

The Executive Director of CITAD, Professor Yunusa Zakari Ya’u, represented by Malam Isa Garba, explained that the project seeks to bridge the skills gap by equipping young people with market-driven competencies.

He noted that the grant winners were selected through a transparent and competitive process, ensuring that the most viable business ideas received support.