The story of unemployment and lack of adequate funding for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is no longer news. Nigerians have had to adjust many times to the harsh economic situation. There have also been negative responses such as terrorism and insurgence, kidnapping, armed robbery, threats of secession and ethnic rivalries.

In the very past administration, the government created a novel program that positively encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to look beyond normalcy into creative and innovative ideas through The Youth Enterprise with innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN).

The Youwin program empowered youths with innovative business ideas grants to a maximum tune of N10,0000,0000. It is a project of the Nigerian government, driven by the Federal Ministries of Finance, ICT, women affairs and Youth.

The program berthed a lot of small and medium enterprises as well as gave support to existing enterprises. The Youwin initiative came with a lot of positive transformation in the thinking mentality of youths and aspiring entrepreneurs.

The benefits of the program transcended beyond winning the completion. This is because some participants who could not win never let their ideas die. Nigerian graduates suddenly shifted emphasis from writing great CVs and job applications to creativity and drafting great business plans.

The Youwin business template taught many how to write business proposals. Before the commencement of the program many graduates have no idea how to write a good business plan. The program served as a tutor for aspiring entrepreneurs and the transformation it brought to the system was massive.

The internet at the time the program was running was filled with tutorials and great articles on how to write business plans and proposals. Publishers started selling e-books and there were orientation programs by motivational speakers on how to write successful business plans.

The program ran successfully for three editions in 2012, 2013 and 2014. The 4th edition which was billed as Youwin4 was supposed to be concluded this 2015 until the wind of change blew up the transformation agenda.

The change message came with a lot of promises which includes paying a N5,000 monthly stipend to unemployed graduates which was later “changed” to vulnerable Nigerians. Whatever the plan is on that matter is still shrouded in mystery, but it is a lame initiative at best.

This is a clarion call to the federal government to take a leap back in recent history, while there was massive corruption in the previous administration, as we are made to believe; the Youwin program did more good than harm to Nigerians.

The federal government did not throw away all the policies of the past government, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) comes to mind. There is no justifiable reason why the Youwin program should not be resurrected.

If the federal government cannot adopt the “Youwin” initiative and nomenclature, another program or a better idea should be created. It is better than a vague N5, 000 stipend that is unrealistic.

Thankfully the government is on an anti-corruption campaign and recovery of looted funds, those funds can be channeled to directly create jobs through the Youwin program.

http://www.financialwatchngr.com/2015/12/16/opinion-fg-should-bring-back-the-youwin-program/

YES

WHICH YOUWIN? THE EXERCISE THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED.SO MANY PEOPLE FROM ONE PART OF THE COUNTRY HUGELY BENEFITTED FROM THE PROGRAMME