Funmi Lawrence
Mr Mohammed Jibrin, Director-General, National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), has called on Nigerian youths to take advantage of various opportunities in the informal sector to boost the economy of the country.
Jibrin gave the advice at the official presentation of the book titled ‘Street Entrepreneurs’, authored by Mr Christian Nwogu, in Abuja.
Jibrin said the book came at best time when the country and the whole world was working towards overcoming the crisis of unemployment, occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This book is packaged with practical and real life tested solutions and workable steps to help any business navigate the difficult terrain of running successful businesses in this challenging time.
“I also want to urge the youths to take advantage of the informal sector and create jobs for themselves in other to multiply earnings for themselves, rather than waiting for white collar jobs,” he said.
In his remarks, Mr Christian Nwogu, Author of the book, said his vast experience in business had enabled him carefully articulate practical guide to successfully grow small businesses.
“This book will help rebrand street entrepreneur from their infamous status to attain a creditable exponential success in their business.
“Right from paucity of limited funds, it will encourage people from all class to get it and read it for their self development.
“I believe that the book “Street Entrepreneurs” will be an immeasurable assets to individuals as well as institutions in collaboration with government efforts in creating knowledge driven sustainable business, which will in turn, create job opportunities for most of our graduates,” he said.
Mr Edwin Ikouhria, Africa Executive Director, One Africa Campaign, South Africa who spoke on the topic; Entrepreneurship and Job Creation in Nigeria, Africa and Globally in post covid-19 era, said Africa had loss at least 30million jobs and went into recession for the first time in 25years.
He added that the only way forward is to stimulate the private sector to create job because government do not create jobs, 80 percent of the Nigerian economy is the informal sector.
“The informal sector has no identified structure and this level of informality really kills entrepreneurship because if you don’t have an identity you can not access facility and other things needed to succeed in business.
“So if we must recover quickly, create jobs and multiply earnings, we must create an environment where the informal sector have an identity formidable enough to access facilities and others,” he said.
