The MTN Foundation has successfully concluded the seventh phase of its ICT and Business Skills Training Programme, graduating 5,980 young entrepreneurs and formally inducting these participants into its expanding alumni network of tech-enabled business leaders.
The Phase 7 closing ceremony, held on Wednesday at Abuja Continental Hotel, brought together government officials, private sector leaders, development partners, and recipients in a celebration of youth empowerment and enterprise development.
Delivering the keynote address, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima (GCON), described the occasion as more than a graduation ceremony, calling it a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future.“We do not merely confer certificates today. We celebrate capacity built, confidence strengthened, and futures deliberately designed,” he stated.
He charged the graduates to take the lead in driving Nigeria’s digital and economic transformation, emphasising that youth empowerment, economic diversification, and digital innovation remain central pillars of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Vice President noted that Nigeria’s youthful population represents one of its greatest national assets and described digital capacity as the bridge between potential and prosperity.
A major highlight of the ceremony was the unveiling of 600 micro-businesses as recipients of equipment grants valued at N300 million. The grants are designed to accelerate enterprise growth, strengthen operational capacity, and stimulate job creation across communities.
The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, in his keynote presentation, encouraged the graduates to see themselves as drivers of national prosperity. “Nigeria’s prosperity will be built not merely on large corporations but on millions of small businesses growing steadily, innovatively and robustly across our communities,” he said. He further explained that ongoing economic reforms are focused on simplifying tax processes, reducing compliance burdens, and creating a more transparent and enabling environment for micro and small enterprises.
Also speaking, the Director of MTN Foundation, Mallam Surajudeen Yakubu (representing Dr. Mosun Olusoga, Chairman, MTN Foundation), described the programme as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future and a growing movement of digitally empowered entrepreneurs equipped to build sustainable ventures.
In her remarks, the Executive Director of MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya, disclosed that over 15,000 young Nigerians have participated in the programme since its inception. “At the MTN Foundation, we focus on empowering young Nigerians to help bridge the gap between their current potential and future opportunities. By equipping them with high-demand digital skills, we are cultivating a young workforce ready to compete on a global scale. 5,980 young Nigerians have just graduated from this intensive training programme, joining 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. What we are building is the productive backbone of our economy,” she stated.
Speaking on behalf of the recipients, Abuja-based caterer Adenike Akintola described the training as transformative for her business operations. “Before now, I did not keep track of my sales because I needed a data analyst. But now, the leveraging Data for Business Growth Track in this Programme has helped me to improve my business. I can track customers, manage inventory, deduct expenses and balance my accounts. It has really been helpful,” she said.
The MTN Foundation ICT and Business Skills Training Programme remains a flagship initiative aimed at equipping Nigerian youths with practical digital and financial management skills to enhance productivity, sustainability, and long-term economic impact.