REPORT OF THE YOUWIN SENSITIZATION LECTURE ORGANIZED BY CENTRE FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT (CITAD) IN COLLABORATION WITH FEDERATION OF MUSLIM WOMEN OF NIGERIA (FOMWAN) ON 30^TH SEPTEMBER, 2012 AT SCHOOL OF ARABIC STUDIES (SAS)

A day after youwin sensitization lecture organized by CITAD, Hajiya Salamatu the Amira of FOMWAN Kano chapter requested CITAD to organize the same lecture to the members of her organization. Saying that most of them did not attend the sensitization lecture organized by CITAD as they were attending another occasion on that day. Agreement was reached between CITAD and FOMWAN that CITAD will bring the resource persons and FOMWAN will make all the necessary arrangement for the lecture including venue.

Sagir Ado delivering a lecture

Hajiya Tasalla Nabulus conducs closing prayer

Hajiya Salamatu (Amira FOMWAN, Kano Chapter) welcoming remark

Cross section of Participants

About 300 participants attended the lecture. Hajiya Salamatu, the Amira of the FOMWAN Kano Chapter offered the opening prayers and welcomed both the CITAD team and the participants to the lecture. She said that this was an opportunity to our Muslim sisters to set up their own businesses that and urged them to listen attentively to what the CITAD would tell them.

The first presentation was made by Sagiru Ado of CITAD on importance of ICT and Entrepreneurship. Sagir said that ICT was a broad knowledge which has many dimensions. With the regard of this lecture he said he limiting his iduscison to only internet and its relationship with the entrepreneurship. Internet he said was an acronym for international networking, meaning networking of all computers around the globe. “As an entrepreneur, you can only sit on your computer and discuss with other entrepreneurs anywhere in the globe”. Nowadays business people rely solely on this, whereby somebody can buy or sell via his or her internet he added. That’s why even this program (youwin) you must know little on internet. As one of the requirement for filling the application form requires somebody to register email. He pointed that this was why Youwin program required applicants to fill the form online.

The second presentation was also made by Sagiru Ado Abubakar on youwin. Malam Sagir explained that YouWiN stands for Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria. It is an innovative business plan competition aimed at job creation by encouraging and supporting aspiring entrepreneurial youth in Nigeria to develop and execute business ideas.  It is three-year circle project aimed at reducing unemployment in the country. It was started last year, but last year youwin program targeted both men and women, ages between 18-45.

Sagir Abubakar also explained that the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWiN!) Programme is a collaboration of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Communication Technology (CT), the Ministry of Youth Development and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development that has launched an annual Business Plan Competition (BPC) for aspiring young entrepreneurs in Nigeria, in line with the Federal Government’s drive to create more jobs for Nigerians. The programme is implemented in partnership with Nigeria’s private sector.

The competition timeline was also explained to the participants, telling them that this year’s program was launched on Mon. Sep 3, 2012. On that day submission of the business concept started and Sun, Oct 14, 2012 first stage business concept submission closes.

The last presentation was a tutorial and demonstration on filling the online youwin application form. The tutorial session was facilitated by Khadija Idris of CITAD. Malama Khadijah demonstrated how to applicants could fill the form and explained the necessary requirements for successful completion of the application process.

At the end of the presentations, Hajiya Tasallah Nabulisi secretary of FOMWAN Kano chapter, thanked CITAD for this effort and urged the participants to make effort and apply before the deadline.