The Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF) has called for a broader youth empowerment strategy that goes beyond student loans and educational financing to equip young Nigerians with the skills and resources needed to establish sustainable businesses.
The foundation said while access to education financing remained important, young people also needed structured support to develop enterprises capable of creating jobs, expanding value chains and contributing to economic development in Northern Nigeria.
The call was made during the foundation’s August 2026 Monthly Virtual Mentorship Webinar, themed, “From Business Idea to Bankable Enterprises: How Northern Nigerian Youth Can Access Finance through Business Development Support Services.”
The webinar was delivered by the Foundation’s Director of Finance and Administration, Dr Haruna Muhammed Jumare.
Jumare stressed that access to capital should not be the first step for aspiring entrepreneurs.
“Capital is not the starting point; it is a consequence of becoming investable,” he said.
According to the foundation, Northern Nigeria has considerable entrepreneurial potential, but many young business owners lack the structures, records, skills and evidence required to attract funding.
It identified agriculture and agribusiness, the digital economy, manufacturing and processing, and creative and cultural industries as sectors with significant opportunities for young people.
The foundation proposed a six-stage Youth Enterprise Development and Finance Readiness Programme comprising enterprise discovery, entrepreneurship boot camp, business clinic, bankability preparation, finance linkage and post-financing mentorship.
SABMF said the programme would help entrepreneurs develop business plans, financial projections, proper bookkeeping and other requirements necessary to attract banks, investors, the Bank of Industry and other financing institutions.
The foundation also advised young entrepreneurs against obtaining loans before validating their business ideas.
It warned against diverting business loans to personal consumption and urged entrepreneurs to select financing products suited to their businesses.
SABMF further called for stronger collaboration among government, financial institutions, development partners, private-sector organisations and youth-focused groups to create a sustainable financing ecosystem.
It said the ultimate goal should be to move young Nigerians from dependence on finance towards becoming productive entrepreneurs through a pathway of ideas, skills, structure, markets, finance and scale.
© 2026, Standard Focus. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from STANDARD FOCUS.