The MTN Foundation has concluded the seventh phase of its ICT and Business Skills Training Programme, graduating 5,890 young entrepreneurs and formally inaugurating 6,000 participants into its growing alumni network of tech-enabled business leaders
Speaking at the Phase 7 closing ceremony of the initiative held at Abuja Continental on Wednesday, Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima has charged the participants to take the lead in driving Nigeria’s digital and economic transformation.
Shettima described the event as more than a graduation ceremony, noting that it represents a strategic investment in the nation’s future.
“We do not merely confer certificates today. We celebrate capacity built, confidence strengthened, and futures deliberately designed,” the Vice President said.
At the ceremony, 600 micro-businesses were also unveiled as beneficiaries of equipment grants valued at over N300 million, a move aimed at accelerating enterprise growth and job creation.
Shettima commended the MTN Foundation for what he described as visionary corporate citizenship, stressing that sustainable national development requires strong collaboration between the public and private sectors.
By aligning private sector resources with national development priorities, he said, the Foundation has demonstrated that long-term economic growth is best achieved through partnership.
The Vice President noted that under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, youth empowerment, economic diversification, and digital transformation remain central pillars of the Federal Government’s development strategy.
He emphasized that Nigeria’s youthful population is one of its greatest assets, adding that digital capacity serves as the bridge between potential and prosperity.
According to him, the Federal Government has introduced structured grants, innovation funds, and startup support mechanisms through various agencies to catalyze entrepreneurship and unlock financing for technology-enabled enterprises.
“Technology remains central to Nigeria’s economic diversification strategy,” Shettima stated, citing its impact across commerce, agriculture, healthcare, logistics, and the creative industry.
Addressing the graduates directly, he described them as ambassadors of Nigeria’s digital economy and urged them to translate their newly acquired skills into practical solutions that create jobs, strengthen communities, and compete globally.
“The future of Nigeria will not be written by chance. It will be engineered by competence, courage, and creativity,” he said.
He further encouraged the young entrepreneurs to combine competence with character, stressing that integrity, accountability, and responsible innovation are essential for sustainable progress in the digital age.
Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to youth-focused initiatives, the Vice President pledged continued support for programmes that empower young Nigerians and strengthen the nation’s economic foundation.
Our Correspondent reports that the colourful closing ceremony featured a keynote address by Prof. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy Tax Reforms, who charged the graduates to see themselves as drivers of Nigeria’s economic transformation.
In his address, Prof. Oyedele said Nigeria’s prosperity would be built not merely on large corporations but on “millions of small businesses growing steadily, innovatively and robustly across our communities.”
He emphasized that the country’s ongoing economic reforms are designed to create a more transparent, stable and enabling environment for entrepreneurs to start, grow and succeed.
“For many years, the system was too complex and fragmented for small businesses to navigate,” he noted.
“What we are witnessing now is a deliberate effort to simplify processes, modernize the tax system and reduce the burden on micro and small enterprises.”
He highlighted key reforms targeted at small businesses, including tax exemptions for qualifying micro enterprises and simplified compliance processes aimed at encouraging business formalization and growth.
The MTN Foundation Executive Director, Odunayo Sanya said the Foundation’s ICT and Business Skills Training Programme has benefited over 15,000 young Nigerians since inception.
“Today, 5,890 young Nigerians graduate from this intensive training programme, and 6,000 participants are formally inducted into a growing alumni network of tech-enabled entrepreneurs.
“This initiative continues to demonstrate that Nigeria’s greatest resource is not oil – it is its people.
“Since inception, over 15,000 young Nigerians have benefited from this programme. What we are witnessing today goes beyond skills acquisition. We are building the productive backbone of our economy,” the ED stated.
Welcoming participants to the ceremony, the Director of the MTN Foundation, Mallam Surajudeen Yakubu, described the programme as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future.
“We are celebrating the expansion of a movement – a growing network of young Nigerians equipped with digital and business skills to build sustainable ventures.”
Speaking on behalf of the recipients, Adenike Akintola expressed gratitude to the MTN Foundation following her participation in its ICT and Business Skills Training programme, describing the initiative as transformative for her business.
Akintola, who caters for corporate events, parties, and both outdoor and indoor functions in Abuja, said the training has significantly improved how she manages her operations.
“I feel very fulfilled. I thank MTN ICT for this programme,” she said. “Before now, I did not keep track of my sales because I needed a data analyst. But now, data has helped me to improve my business.”
“Applying what I’ve learned to my business is now easier. I can track customers that ordered, I know the things I’m supposed to buy, I know how to deduct and balance. It has really been helpful,”
Akintola added.
The ceremony concluded with the formal induction of the 6,000 participants into the MTN Foundation alumni network, positioning them within a broader ecosystem of entrepreneurs expected to collaborate, scale their ventures and create employment opportunities nationwide.
The ceremony witnessed panel discussion and presentation of grants worth N300 million to 600 outstanding participants.
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