NYSC Urges Corps Members to Access SMEDAN’s Support for Entrepreneurship
By Najeeb Sani
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Yobe State has advised its corps members to access the available business grants and supports from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to turn skills into businesses.
The corps gave the advice during the launching of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme for the 2026 Batch B, Stream II corps members posted to Yobe State at their Orientation Camp in Dazigau.
Speaking during the event, Mr Muhammad Sulaiman, a facilitator of the programme, urged the corps members to register with SMEDAN to benefit from training, business development services and market linkages.
“Don’t stop at acquiring a skill. The next step is to register with SMEDAN. SMEDAN’s support will help you structure your business, understand your market and grow sustainably,” Mr. Sulaiman said.
He emphasised the need for feasibility studies, identifying community needs and using digital marketing to reach customers.
Using “Green Life Farms” as an example, he showed how solving a local problem could be turned into a viable enterprise with the right support.
Also speaking, Maryam Yahaya, Head of SAED at the Dazigau camp, also encouraged corps members to acquire practical, vocational, digital and financial skills to complement their academic qualifications and build self-reliance.
Earlier, the state coordinator of NYSC, Mr Okochi Okpara, challenged corps members to move beyond dependence on formal employment and become job creators.
While the zonal inspector of the corps Mr Muhammad Galadima, urged the NYSC members to take responsibility for their economic future through innovation, problem-solving and continuous learning.
He noted that skills in craftsmanship and digital marketing could create sustainable livelihoods and contribute to national development.
