A total of 360 Kwara-based Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), have received a sum of N229,565,000 non-interest loan to expand their businesses and create more opportunities.

This was part of Kwara State Government's efforts towards building a stronger economy through adequate support to small and medium scale businesses.

Speaking at the fourth (4.0) edition of Kwapreneur, Wasiu Tejidini, Acting General Manager of Kwara State Social Investment Programmes (KWASSIP), said a total of N229,565,000 was disbursed to beneficiaries in order to encourage self-reliance and spread prosperity among young people who do not have collaterals to access bank facilities.

Tejidini, who lauded Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq's good gesture in the State, explained that “beneficiaries of the previous editions have told the stories of positive change in their businesses.”

He added, “It is in this regard that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq deemed it fit to further support Kwara-based MSMEs, being fully aware of the challenges facing young entrepreneurs in the areas of status and expansion funds.”

Meanwhile, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Oba Graduate Trainee Programme (OGTP) has trained and placed 21 graduates into reputable companies in Kwara State. The trainees were presented both certificates and placement letters in Ilorin, the State capital on Monday. Speaking at the event, Umar Oba Adelodun, the founder of the initiative, explained that the idea of the programme was to create an incubation for youths where they train them after which the trainees would be sent to organisations, learn how to structure and be productive.

Adelodun noted that the graduate trainees went through intensive training before they qualified to be recommended to established organisations for placement, explaining that the programme “is in two parts. First is the training and the curriculum cuts across project management, soft and hard skills.”

“The second part is a six-month long paid internship and we are happy enough to have believe of various organisations like Julius Berger, BUA Group, Dele Group, KAM Holdings and hosts of other companies have taken this graduate training from us”, he added.