BIPC, Benue govt plan business fund to boost youth-owned SMEs - Asemakaha

By Benedicta Aboh

The Group Managing Director of the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC), Dr. Raymond Asemakaha, says plans are underway to establish a dedicated Business Fund to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across the state, with a special focus on young entrepreneurs.

Dr. Asemakaha disclosed this at the grand finale of the state-wide skills acquisition programme held at the Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi, where 5,580 youths graduated from vocational training organised by Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia.

The trainees, drawn from all 23 Local Government Areas, exhibited skills in painting, cosmetology, Ankara design, organic fertilizer production, makeup artistry, shoemaking, catering and several other trades.

Describing the newly trained youths as “a significant emerging market,” the BIPC helmsman said empowering them to convert their skills into viable enterprises would accelerate economic growth and strengthen the state’s production capacity.

To encourage their startup efforts, he announced a ₦1million seed grant for each of the seven graduating groups, a total of ₦7million, to support their entry into the business space.

Dr. Asemakaha also appealed to the state government to enact business-friendly laws that would improve market access for young entrepreneurs and promote SME expansion across Benue.

He stressed the need for greater investment in human capital development, noting that the state must move beyond theoretical learning to practical business training as its population continues to grow.

According to him, such an approach is crucial to boosting Benue’s GDP and positioning the state as a hub for innovative small-scale enterprises.

As the graduates establish their ventures, he said, they will not only create jobs for themselves but also become employers of labour, a development that will help reduce insecurity by addressing idleness among youths.

While commending Governor Alia for prioritising youth empowerment, Dr. Asemakaha called for sustained funding for vocational and entrepreneurship programmes to drive Benue’s long-term economic transformation.