A total of 2,659 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) across Nigeria have been pre-qualified for the final phase of the NNPC Foundation business pitching exercise.
Billed to hold from July 2 to 10, 2024, the exercise is an integral part of the NNPC Foundation’s financial literacy programme for youths that witnessed the engagement of over 284,000 corps members, who underwent rigorous training and assessments.
Speaking on the exercise, the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe, said the selection criteria would focus on the feasibility and sustainability of the business idea, market relevance, competitive edge and innovation, scalability, potential impact on the community and the entrepreneurial spirit of the corps members.
“We have identified 2,659 individuals who are ready to present their business ideas to a distinguished panel of assessors,” Arukwe stated.
She said the Financial Literacy Programme is aligned with the NNPC Foundation’s mission of equipping young Nigerian graduates with necessary skills for personal and professional development.
“By educating corps members on financial management and entrepreneurship, the program aims to empower them to become economically self-sufficient and to contribute positively to society,” she added.
She explained that during the pitching exercise, projects that standout would receive startup packs, business advisory services and opportunities to scale their ventures.
In a related development, the management of NNPC Foundation has facilitated a significant 50 per cent reduction in the registration fee for corps members’ businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).The NNPC Foundation is the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of NNPC Limited.
