Welcome to Nworisa Michael's Blog
Advocating Youth Leadership • Promoting Peace • Strengthening Governance

Search This Blog

Translate

☼ / ☾

APPLICATION FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT YOUTH INITIATIVE FUND (NYIF)

Post Thumbnail

 The federal government says it has opened the portal for Nigerians to apply for its N75 billion youth investment fund.


The initiative of the ministry of youths and sports is being funded by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

On July 22, Sunday Dare, minister of youth and sports development, announced that the federal executive council approved the establishment of NYIF to the tune of N75 billion.

The NYIF is dedicated to investing in the innovative ideas, skills, talents and enterprise of the Nigerian youth with the aim of turning them into entrepreneurs.

Dare had explained that the funding targets 500,000 youth annually.

He said a minimum of N25 billion will be disbursed each year over the next three years, totalling N75 billion.

Dare said for the remaining part of 2020, an initial sum of N12.5 billion will be needed to commence the NYIF.

He added that the initiative, which is part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s plan to address unemployment in the country, will be sustained by successive governments.

“The fund aims to reach 500,000 youth annually between 2020 and 2023. Each fund approval will range from N250,000 to N50,000,000, with a spread across group applications, individual applications, working capital loans set at 1 year and term loans set at 3 years with single digit interest rate of 5%,” he said.

The minister said disbursement of the fund will be through various channels, which will include micro credit organisations across the country the CBN supported by the Bank of Industry, fintech organisations and venture capital organisations registered with the CBN.

According to him, the ministry of finance, budget and national planning and the CBN will provide the initial financing for NYIF, while youth seeking to benefit from the fund must have genuine business ideas and registered business entities.

He added that such persons must be citizens of Nigeria and must be able to provide recognised means of identification and guarantors.

Interested applicants can access the registration portal 
https://nyif.nmfb.com.ng/Applicants/New

WEEP NOT, MOTHER. by Ajijola Ebenny

Post Thumbnail

 WEEP NOT, MOTHER.

Mother Africa, weep not. I pray you.
Though there are many allegations 'gainst you
Through the thick and thin,
Through the labour's and sacrifices,
You birth us innocent
But we're termed guilty from childhood.

Mother Africa, they treat your children with contempt,
The compare us to Apes because of our colour,
They call us foolish and give us a bad name.
We want to build schools, churches, and farms
That's their promise to us
Our invaluable golds and diamonds they exploit
And we look helpless in our Fatherland

Mother Africa, I see tears like stream
Rolling down your cheeks,
But how long shall you mourn the 'Floyds'
Mother Africa, I see your heart broken in solitude
Like Yaremi in Lonely Days
But how long mother?
How long will you anticipate the coming back of Woye?

The policy of association and assimilation
They impose on us, thinking us unwise.
Our history filled with the blood of Heroes,
That died to save us
Dear Mother, How long will you think about Mandela?
When we are here for you.
Weep no more Mother.

Arise O children of the bereaved,
Mother lost her husband to Racists and Colonial Masters
Arise, O children of Africa
Together we can re-write our history,
Together we can change what they portray us to be
Together we can make our dirges Epic
Let us make Mother proud, let us wipe her tears.
And make our land a place of honour
So this word may become true in Africa
"There's no place like Home"
God bless Africa!
God bless Nigeria!

Ajijola Ebenezer.
©  Hebenny

My short story "Eye of A Needle" finally launched ...Amb. Nworisa Michael

Post Thumbnail

 


On Sunday, 11th/Oct;/ 2020 my book "Eye of a Needle" was launched. 

It is a short story of believe  in oneself, and struggle to actualize one’s own dreams even when others think it’s impossible.
The story focuses to encourage people, particularly young people to be persistent in holding up to their dreams as achieving them is possible.

It was indeed a honour having these great personalities grace this event. In a special way I wish to use this medium to thank the Honorable Commissioner of Education Kano State, Hon. Mallam Sunusi Sa'id who was duely represented by the Kano State Ministry of Education, Director of Revenue, Mallam Sunusi Kagara Sani. 

Dr. Michael Femi Sodipo, Chief Executive Director of Peace Initiative Network  my amiable Chief launcher and Chairman. 

To my Reviewers: J. L. Callison & Nadir Abdulhadi Nasidi. 

Barr. Nura Mohammed, Executive Director, Mufarka Youth Development. 

To NewHub Systems Services whom in support offered to have website launched for the my book. 

Also, to the members of the Arewa Agenda of the 19 Northern states. 

The leadership of Iqraa Foundation, Kano State Hub. 


To my tireless organizing team members( Ephraim Nwankwo, Innocent Alechu,  Samuel Eneojo, Eze Bishop, Samson Adama)  

Comr. Umar Faruk CEO,  Shakaka Photography who captured the beautiful moments. 

To MC Expo, choreography dancers of B. R. C St. Thomas, Bitrus the Poet who took us to the realm of Spokenword and Ephraim DaEagle who performed beautifully his song. 

To all who honored  and supported this occasion in one way or the other. And also,  to those who weren't present for reasons beyond their control.

I say a BIG THANK YOU to you all God bless you all as you spread the word. 

...There is a story to be told. If only the world listens, 

Amb Nworisa Michael,
Author of Eye of a Needle.

 

Gov. Abdulahi Sule should hear this... Nasarawa State @ 24: The Need To Unlock Investment Opportunities. By Murtala Adogi Mohammed

Post Thumbnail

Nasarawa state was created on 1st October 1996, out of neighboring Plateau state. Located in the North-Central region of Nigeria, bordered to the West by the Federal Capital Territory, the North by Kaduna, the South by Benue an
d Kogi, and to the East by Plateau and Taraba states. The State is nicknamed “Home of Solid Minerals” because of its huge deposits of mineral resources.

The creation of the State was indeed, a significant development for its diverse citizens. This is because it brought together people who shared common aspirations and had co-existed peacefully for decades, even though with pockets of tribal and natural resources conflicts here and there which are also characteristic of developing democracy.

The desire for self-determination, sustainable development, economic empowerment and social cohesion were the stimulus that impelled our founding fathers to struggle and tussle for the creation of the State.

According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNCTAD 2019 World Investment Report, Nigeria is the third host economy for Foreign Direct Investment FDI in Africa, behind Egypt and Ethiopia. Both World Bank ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and UNCTAD recent reports revealed that – the investment climate in Nigeria is improving generally.

At sub-national level, as reported in the Guardian Newspaper of 28th, February 2020, the Nasarawa State Coalition of Business Professionals Association (NACOBPA) has lamented the poor business climate that has crippled small and medium scale businesses in the state.

Presenting the factors that have crippled businesses in the state, Chairman of NACOBPA, Mrs. Joanna Bello listed them to include insecurity of lives and business property, as well as poor access to funding for micro and medium scale enterprises, poor access to business premises, lack of street numbering and addresses and absence commodities processing centre/industrial layouts and multiple-taxation on small businesses in the state, as a major huddle that the state and Federal Government must surmount.

In Nasarawa State, several of its untapped resources now offer very good potentials for economically viable and technically feasible industrial and agricultural development projects. It has a wide range of solid minerals and a variety of crops produced within the state.

There is need for Nasarawa State Government to provide smart, not overly burdensome regulation and a stable regulatory environment, as well as guarantee the rule of law and a level playing field for investors. The state needs to do to improve state’s policies in relation to transiting to digital economy, building more business hubs and leveraging on the Abuja-Karu investment corridor.

With thousands of unemployed youth, a rise in numbers of functional industries and productivity is required to maintain growth and guarantee development and sustainability, it’s worth noting that innovation requires investment in human capital and is high time for Nasarawa state to develop costed, state-specific human capital development plan.

Moving forward, Nasarawa state government need to strengthen financing strategies for state development; Improve the state investment climate and local markets; Attract investors and access capital markets; Identify sectors where private sector solutions can create or expand markets.

The state government need to lead by example to have investment that will stimulate the economics of Nasarawa state, I think there is need to have a project that will create massive employment and increase the internally generated revenues for the state.

One of such projects is what I refer to as ‘Nasarawa Agro Trade Centre’ NATC, just like Kano Agro Trade Center in Dawanau, Dubai World Trade Center and Korea Agro Trade Center in Huntington Beach, CA, which is a public-private company categorized under Wholesale Grocers.

Governor A.A. Sule should consider constructing the Nasarawa Agro Trade Centre’ NATC in Lafia, for comparative advantage of being the state capital with other supportive institutions in place that would stimulate the take-off of the trade Centre.

In Practice, the Nasarawa Agro Trade Center I’m suggesting here will be cluster of markets where different types of agricultural product are sold. The agro-based cluster is simply a concentration of producers, agribusinesses and institutions that are engaged in the same or different agricultural or agro-industrial subsector, interconnect and build value networks in addressing common challenges and pursuing common opportunities.

A recent research shows that clustering markets of the agricultural products presents many benefits, such as creating an enabling environment for inter-firm cooperation, facilitating the diffusion of innovations, and acting as a means of massive revenues generation to government and at the other hand creating employment.

In a layman sense, the trade Centre will be one stop mega market located in Lafia for all agricultural product produced in Nasarawa and the neighboring state, every product with its section, and in the market, there will be with police station, banks, hospital, hotels and parking space for over 150 lorries and other necessary modern facilities.

Just imagine the number of youths that would be engaged in keeping the market clean, the number of youths that would serve as local security in the markets, and the window of opportunities the Centre will open for local and international investors.

Equally, important is that agricultural activities should be made attractive to encourage more youths, especially in rural areas, to take part in it rather than continuously drifting to urban areas where jobs are becoming even scarcer.

This could be done through the provision of soft loans, facilities to enhance mechanized farming, building of more silos to minimize produce wastage, provision of irrigation facilities as well as improved seeds. Good roads for the transportation of farm produce should also be provided.

As a development practitioner and a student of Dudley Seers, I strongly believe that development should be a drastic reduction in the level of poverty, unemployment and inequality over a period of time.

Therefore, Nasarawans need a project that will bring food to their table quickly – and that is just the bottom line. I think there are so many low ‘hanging fruits’ that will give current administration a quick win.

Improving the business regulatory environment across the state such as land administration process through a robust geographic information system; getting electricity for business owners; paying taxes; getting credit; technical support for starting business, and employing workers - will be key for the state’s economic growth.

State’s heavy dependence on ‘Abuja-Monthly-Oil-Give-Away’ has posed a huge challenges that have made it difficult to achieve sustained growth, create jobs and reduce poverty in Nasarawa state. We need to move on….but we also need to carefully study the MAM’s SWOT Analysis below...

Murtala Adogi Mohammed
mamurtala@gmail.com
011020


Featured Post

EXPLOSION: Kano Police Commissioner Visits Scene of Yongxing Steel Explosion, Orders Full Investigation

  The Kano State Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, has visited the site of a tragic explosion at Yongxing Steel Company locat...

Popular Posts

Blog Archive

Available Advert Space

Follow us

Join our WhatsApp channel

Advertisement

Advertisement
Let Us Be Your #1 Ads Blog

Wikipedia

Search results

Report Abuse

Contact Us

Name

Email *

Message *

About Me

Disclaimer

The content provided on Nworisa Michael’s Blog is for general informational purposes only. All opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not reflect the views of any affiliated organization, employer, or institution. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the information shared, we make no warranties or representations as to the completeness, reliability, or accuracy of any content. Any action you take based on the information on this blog is strictly at your own risk. We do not assume responsibility for the content of external links or third-party sites that may be referenced or linked here. All materials, including images, articles, and videos, belong to their respective owners unless stated otherwise. If you believe your copyrighted material has been used inappropriately, please contact us for prompt action.
© 2025 Nworisa Michael’s Blog |. Powered by Blogger.