ILO’s Start and Improve Your Business training programme completed by NYSC members

The Nigerian National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in collaboration with ILO and General Electric (GE) and Cognity Advisory partner to support training programme on ILO Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) to promote self-employment for Nigerian youths in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Osun State, Nigeria.

Press release | 13 June 2018



ABUJA (ILO News):  The ILO has been collaborating with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on promoting entrepreneurship development in Nigeria using the ILO’S Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) training package. NYSC in collaboration with ILO, General Electric and Cognity Advisory, launched the training program launched in May 2018 for the first set of 600 trainees across two States- FCT and Osun State. On June 13th 2018, the ILO Country Office Abuja Director- Dennis Zulu - attended the training completion and certificate presentation ceremony at the NYSC camp in Kubwa, Abuja.

In his address, Mr Zulu informed the audience that over 15million people have taken part in the SIYB program globally and the participants were now part of this large global network. He explained  that the ILO had been offering the SIYB training packages since the 1980’s and the program was currently the largest global business management training program focusing on starting and improving business as a strategy for creating more and better employment for women and women. The programme’s objective is to train Master Trainers who, in turn, would train and certify local SIYB trainers that train prospective entrepreneurs to Start and improve their businesses.  He congratulated the NYSC members on their completion of the programme and urged them to utilize the knowledge gained to self-employ and create employment opportunities through their business ventures. “The Federal Government is not in the business of creating jobs, this is the role of the private sector” he said.

The Director General of the NYSC represented by the Director of Procurement- Mr Yakubu Jok in his statement noted that the programme was a welcome development that would be sustained. He commended the ILO and other partners for their efforts to provide the training program. Mr Jok mentioned that 40 NYSC officials have been trained as trainers and that the NYSC was committed to training a total of 500 officials to ensure the programme has a wide reach across Nigeria.

General Electric (GE) represented by the Managing Director Gas Power Systems Nigeria - Mr Mohammed Mijindadi in his address assured the participants of their commitment to Nigerian Youth and continuous support for the SIYB training programme. He stated that GE was happy to be part of the program and thanked the NYSC Director General for supporting the initiative.

The  ceremony concluded with the presentation of Certificates to the 300 Corps members  who participated in FCT program, and a remark from NYSC members’ delegate, who reassured the partners and participants of the Nigerian youths’ zeal  and commitment to creating sustainable enterprises and thereby, employment opportunities.