By Sagiru Ado Abubakar

Following the opening of the 7th Edition of The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme (2021) registration portal, the Job Placement Information Services (JOPIS) unit of the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has on Tuesday 2nd February, 2021 conducted sensitization workshop to a group youth in Kano state.  Call for an entry was shared across CITAD platforms in which number of youth applied and indicated interest to participate in the workshop. The workshop aimed to sensitize, train and guide young people to benefit from this year’s TEF grant.  JOPIS unit of the Centre for Information Technology and Development noted that youth in the northern part of the country are lagging behind compared to their counterpart from other part of the country in benefiting of such entrepreneurship grants. This is as a result of numerous reasons. One most of the youths in the northern part of the country are unaware of the existence of such programs. Secondly, those that have little awareness of such programs lack the capacity to develop winning proposals that help them to benefit from such programs. Thirdly, most those programs are ICT based that required internet services which number of them do not have access.  

In his opening remark, Malam Ahmad Abdullahi Yakasai, CITAD’s Training Coordinator, drew attention of the participants on the importance of the ICT knowledge. He then informed that CITAD has upgraded its training laboratory and offer the following ICT courses at subsidized prices. Certificate in Information Technology (CIT), Diploma in Information Technology (DIT), Diploma in Graphics Design, Diploma in Data Analysis, Diploma in Computer Repair and Maintenance, Diploma in Mobile App Development without coding, Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing, Professional Certificate in ICT for Families, Professional Diploma in Auto Card, Professional Diploma in Website Design, Professional Certificate in Digital Entrepreneurship (Freelances) and Professional Diploma in Mobile App Development with Coding.  

The coordinator of the JOPIS unit, Malam Sagiru Ado Abubakar took the participants to the time line of this year’s TEF program as follows:

• Applications (Jan 1 — Mar 1)
• On boarding (Mar)
• Training & Mentoring (April — May)
• Pitching (June)
• Selection Announcement & Forum (July)
• Submit ID, Business Reg & Bank Details (Aug — Sep)
• World Check & Seed Capital Disbursement (Aug — Dec)

He then practically demonstrated the TEF entrepreneurship template. According to him, TEF come up with 2 sets of assessments. Psychometric / Personality tests and Business/Financial knowledge assessment, and the assessment can only be taken once. Based on your answers to the assessment questions, the system profiles you and places you in the appropriate training path as follows:

Greenhorn (Level 1)

This means you are a starter according to the business start-up profiling. You will go through the general training on TEFConnect. 

Innovator (Level 1)

This means that you have been profiled to be an intermediate entrepreneur. You have a good potential to be a successful entrepreneur. You will go through the Intermediate training modules and you will be assigned a mentor during the programme. Based on your performance through the training programme, you will stand a chance to pitch your business in person to the set of judges for final selection.

Disruptor (Level 2)

This means that you are or identified to be natural or a seasoned entrepreneur. You will go through the advanced training modules and you will be assigned a mentor during the programme. Based on your performance through the training programme, you will stand a chance to pitch your business in person to the set of judges for final selection.

Abubakar Yusuf Auyo, was a beneficiary of TEF and Young Business Leaders of Nigeria grants. He hinted to the participants how he emerged victorious of the two grants. He said that people must be innovative, must introduce new goods and new methods of production. He narrated how he came up with idea and established Powdered Onion Company, Ayama Farm Limited. Adding that he applied for TEF grant in 2015 at last hours, he applied two hours to the closer of the tefconnect portal. But TEF panel of judges was impressed with his idea and awarded him the grant. Auwal Hussain is a resident of Damaturu capital city of Yobe state. He came across the call of the entries for this sensitization lecture and applied. He was lucky to be part of the shortlisted participants. He managed to travel and accommodated himself just to attend the program. During the question and answer session, he thanked the organizers and drew their attention on the need of such programs in their home town.