The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry has received sponsorship worth N10m from Providus Bank as a grant for entrepreneurship studies. The partnership is expected to continue for the next three years in the first instance.
The sponsorship will also involve upgrading, equipping, and
branding the learning centre, provision of packaged soft loans for the students
graduating from the entrepreneurship programme and provision of grants to
deserving students graduating from the entrepreneurship programme.
It would also include the provision of support services for
the young entrepreneurs in the programme, in the form of advisory services in
areas such as business development series and revamping sessions, financial
literacy, planning and guidance, among others.
This partnership is aimed at growing and improving the SME
space through entrepreneurship training. It would start off with the LCCI
Entrepreneurship Mentoring Programme as well as the LCCI-LASU Diploma in
Entrepreneurship.
According to the chamber, the benefits of the diploma
programme include direct entry to degree programmes at Lagos State University
and access to grants and loans worth millions of naira by Providus Bank.
It added that participants also stand to gain practical
entrepreneurial skills acquisition and access to the vast network and resources
of the chamber. Students will also participate in business counselling and
mentoring, business tours, business hangouts, as well as hybrid classroom
learning.
The programme is expected to kick off in May.
Speaking on the partnership, the Chief Financial Officer of
Providus Bank, Deoye Ojuroye said,
“This is something we are committed to. we do not want it to
be a one-off. Businesses are the bedrock of economic development. It is a
partnership we hope will go into the future.”