AlexReports:
Since the beginning of the Boko Haram crisis in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, thousands have been affected, with many Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) forced to live temporarily at camps across the country. These displaced Nigerians continue life at the camps even as they wait to be resettled back to their homes. Displaced from their homes, disconnected from their daily jobs, many Internally Displaced Persons are stuck at the bottom of the economic ladder and remain part of extremely poor Nigerians, estimated at 80 million according to recent reports.

Through the Government Enterprise & Empowerment Program (GEEP), The Federal Government is reversing the poverty levels in the region and helping residents, locals and the displaced persons settle back into productive economic activities. GEEP is part of the Social Investment Programs (SIP) under the National Social Investment Office (NSIO), designed to cater to Nigerians at several levels: unemployed youths, petty traders, artisans, MSMEs and other categories of Nigerians that could do with an economic boost.

In 3 years, Tradermoni, Marketmoni & Farmermoni have provided loans ranging from 10,000 Naira to 300,000 Naira to petty traders, artisans, small businesses and farmers. This has seen over 2,000,000 Nigerians significantly receive boosts to their businesses. GEEP has been implemented in 36 states of the Federation and the FCT with a spread of over 2,600 market clusters. The program has recorded over 240 thousand beneficiaries in the North Eastern states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states. The region most affected by the insurgency.

GEEP’s achievement – and continued mission – remains to provide access to finance, and sustainable financial inclusion, and to do this at scale.

Over 79% of the 36 states and the FCT have reached a minimum threshold of 30,000 beneficiaries with over 56% of all beneficiaries being female.

Mohammed Lawal has been selling calabash in Gombe Central market for years and has never received any form of financial assistance before now until he heard about TraderMoni and got enumerated. He was really excited he got the interest free loan as it will help him grow his business. He is really grateful to the Federal Government for this great opportunity as his business is in order now.

Adamu Salihu was really happy when he received his TraderMoni Interest free Loan. He sells earrings and blouses in Jimeta Ultra Modern market, Yola, Adamawa State. He mentioned that a relative told him about TraderMoni and he registered. Shortly after he registered, he received the loan. He didn't believe it was real before but after getting the money, he confirmed it was true.

He expresses his gratitude and he said will tell others about it about it. In excitement, he said, “It will turn my business around by helping me buy more goods, increase sales and i'll be able to payback the loan within the stipulated time. I am so grateful to God and the Federal Government, as a privileged beneficiary of this initiative because I have never been this privileged to receive such a laudable assistance in any form in my entire life.”

Sarah Danlami shares her TraderMoni story, “The TraderMoni Enumerators were at Muda Lawal Market and the market executives introduced the empowerment scheme to her and she got enumerated, She registered and thought she won't receive it but she did and she appreciates this initiative by the Federal Government and said, "If only we could have more of such initiative that empowers the less privileged people, a lot of negative vices that are rooted in idleness will be cubed to its barest minimum". She is really excited about the TraderMoni Scheme and her business being empowered as she never thought such an initiative will be possible.

She also mentioned that before now she could only trader with a bag of irish potato, but now she can afford to buy two bags to trader with and that’s progress.

“My name is Ali Ibrahim. I sell foodstuff here in Monday Market. I have been doing this for four years now. On a fateful day, I came into the market to do business as usual, when I saw the TraderMoni team. They were registering people and I got registered too. After some days, I received an SMS from TraderMoni confirming that I can receive the loan. I rushed to the where the people giving the loan were in the market to confirm whether it is true or not. Luckily for me, it was confirmed true and I was so excited. I got the money and I have been using it for my business. What I have to say to the Federal Government is thank you and they should keep up the good work so that other people can benefit from it too. I am grateful to the Federal government and my encouragement to every person that got the money is that they should use it and pay it back on time so that the purpose of the TraderMoni can be achieved.”

Clara Felix is a TraderMoni beneficiary from Mile Six market, Jalingo. She sells soup condiments and other minor items. She had her doubts to the extent that she had to wait for others to collect the money before she went for enumeration. She is very happy and grateful to the Federal Government for the loan.

The interest-free loan has enabled her boost her business. The loan will also help her extend her business to include sale of fish.

VRDroid:
The less privileged in the North need our help. I think the Southerners need to do more to help these poor Northerners who are slaves of Religious and cultural pollution.

philfearon:
Those who earn high will never understand how big 10,000 naira is to a poor person who makes peanuts daily.
Before you start spewing trash about the TraderMoni initiative, bear this in mind!!!

VRDroid:
The less privileged in the North need our help. I think the Southerners need to do more to help these poor Northerners who are slaves of Religious and cultural pollution.

martowskin1:



The north don't need help from the south,


Let me tell u, they call the shot in this nation

President is from the north

Senate president from north

Head of most ministries and agencies are from the north

Military heads are from the norths....

Executive head = north

Legislative head = north

Judiciary head = north

They have everything this country owns in their hands...

And u still say south should help them ..... My bro how?

philfearon:
Those who earn high will never understand how big 10,000 naira is to a poor person who makes peanuts daily.
Before you start spewing trash about the TraderMoni initiative, bear this in mind!!!

Flier:
Its a lot of money to some people, I once met a woman who couldn’t find 500 naira to start a pure water business
She would buy a bag of pure water (200naira) in credit from a shop near the Car park and pay the money in the evening
Repeat the same the following morning

VRDroid:


We know. But those in power there are not helping their poor. So we must assist them. We have been giving them alms in the South as beggars. The ones who dont beg, we use them as security guards and they polish our shoes. I think we should do more, like giving them free food and clothing and some condoms too.

VRDroid:
The less privileged in the North need our help. I think the Southerners need to do more to help these poor Northerners who are slaves of Religious and cultural pollution.

martowskin1:


u are not a good person ...

But seriously bro, if what is happening in the north happen in the south, we for don rebel against our elites.... That am sure of

I think most of them see their condition as divine

vixpal:

After helping these people from Anambra

VRDroid:


The North is a Human Farm. Islam and Illiteracy was systemically designed to make them slaves for the elites and it worked so well but has backfired. Northern Nigeria will know no peace until they are freed from Religious and Cultural tentacles, but no one is ready to free them yet.

That is why I said we must help them. The younger girls under 17 can be shared to the Southerners to work in our homes, help in doing laundry, watching over the gates, and we can actually do more with the beautiful ones.

Dangote and Atiku and Buhari and IBB should share half of their wealth to the poor Northerners. They deserve our pity, not our hatred.

VRDroid:


We know. But those in power there are not helping their poor. So we must assist them. We have been giving them alms in the South as beggars. The ones who dont beg, we use them as security guards and they polish our shoes. I think we should do more, like giving them free food and clothing and some condoms too.

RTSC:

Oh really.?
But when it is time to vote, they would vote their own people in on the basis of ethnicity.

Go and sit down.

VRDroid:


They are victims of brainwashing. The earlier we start helping these poor suicidal people from the North, the better for us. The only thing they use to make money is Cattles and we are saying no RUGA. What if they start carrying explosives and bombs? Helping them is for our own good my friend.

Even the 16 years old girls should be shared among us, so we can 'train' them.

RTSC:

Brainwashing?
They perfectly know what they are doing.
You are not more politically knowledgeable than an average Northerner.

VRDroid:
You are making a point in a backward trajectory. They are brainwashed. Imagine them voting against GEJ who built them schools. They need our pity, not our hatred.

I strongly recommend that we accommodate the Northerners and give them land for RUGA.