The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), is aiming to assist over 5,000 vulnerable residents across the State.
The empowerment is being carried out under the Federal Government’s Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus in partnership with the Lagos Cares DL 1.3 with the theme; “Training for Livelihood Support Programme”.
This initiative seeks to provide economic relief to struggling individuals, particularly women and youth engaged in small businesses across the Federation.
Mrs. Toyin Salami, Head of Disbursement Link Indicator (DL.1.3) at WAPA, made the announcement during a two-day training session held recently in Lagos. She noted that the programme was designed to help economically active yet struggling individuals by providing them with soft training and financial grants to enhance their business activities.
Salami said beneficiaries are selected from the state’s social register, which includes over 25,000 vulnerable residents and the criteria for prioritising individuals who are already active in business.
“The beneficiaries will receive training to further develop their businesses, and a one-time grant will be disbursed directly into their bank accounts to support growth”, Salami explained.
She also noted that the programme has already reached over 2,500 people during its first two phases, with the goal of reaching 5,000 beneficiaries. More than 1,200 individuals received training on Thursday, with plans to expand into additional communities.
On her part, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Oluyemi Kalesanwo charged beneficiaries to take the training seriously, explaining that the training featured up skills for business owners on Book-Keeping, Financial Literacy and other Entrepreneurship Skills to help them better manage their resources and improve their livelihood.
Kalesanwo also noted that the training which is part of the larger ‘Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NCARES DL.1.3)’ project, aligns with the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Developmental Agenda, was held simultaneously in different parts of the State including Epe, Agege, Isheri, and Coker Aguda.
“This initiative which was launched by the Federal Government to train individuals on entrepreneurship skills following the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic aligns with the Lagos State’s broader efforts to provide economic resilience and empower vulnerable residents amid ongoing economic challenges”, she emphasised.
Mrs. Saudat Salami, a facilitator at Coker-Aguda Local Council Development Area emphasised the importance of entrepreneurship skills for small business success. She pointed out that many business owners struggle not due to lack of skill but because they lack the knowledge to manage a business effectively.
“Running a business requires more than just skills; it requires proper understanding of operations,” she said.
She, therefore, urged the trainees to register their businesses, practice bookkeeping, and use social media for marketing, as well as to seek collaborations and associations that could open doors to new opportunities.
One of the participants, Mrs. Arike Adeyemi, a caterer, shared that she learned valuable skills during the training, including how to leverage social media for business promotion and the importance of tracking expenses such as transportation and packaging costs.
