Rísé Initiative, an innovative marketplace for sourcing blue-collar businesses in Nigeria, has announced plans to empower 36m Nigerians in the coming months.
It said in a statement that this would aid the youths in getting first-hand knowledge of the market and be connected to clients, that they would provide services for.
During the launch in Lagos, the Founder/Chief Executive Officer, Olawunmi Akalusi, said that the programme sought to address the increasing youth unemployment and lack of startup capital by ‘Equipping the Nigerian youths with the necessary skills and knowledge to start and manage their own businesses’.
Akalusi said, “The programme will transform 36 million youths across Nigeria, building their capacity through intensive training and internships; thereafter, listing them on the rise.ng platform to reach a wider audience for business opportunities.
“This is in a bid to bridge the supply gap and introduce professionalism to the informal sector, promote self-employment among Nigerian youths making them viable assets to the country’s economy, leverage world-class information based on partnerships to birth world-class businesses with world-class propositions in Nigeria and increase productivity in local content and means of earning foreign exchange.
According to Akalusi, each state of the country would have approximately one million selected applicants through online registration.
Akalusi said, “The one million applicants will be trained in five batches per state bi-annually. Each batch will be on an annual basis. The first batch will be done within the next six months.
“The online training will be delivered by our partners in the Harvard Business School and other partnering institutions.
“The final evaluation and selection of the candidates that will qualify for funding under the Project Empower Programme will be by a panel made up of senior management staff of partner Financial Institution, and other eminent members made up of successful entrepreneurs and professionals,” she added.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Samuel Egube, described Rísé.ng as a solution from the youthful population that would empower artisans and create a market place around work ethics for blue collar jobs.
Egube said the development was in line with the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, administration’s agenda for the youths, particularly with the launch of the 30 year development plan for the state.
