By Peter Adewole
The Ugwumba Centre for Leadership Development in Africa, UCLA, has empowered over 10,000 youths and 5,000 women across Nigeria through entrepreneurship training, mentorship and seed capital support.
The Founder and President of the Centre, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, disclosed this at the grand finale of the Ugwumba SkillUp 2.0 Project in Abuja, themed: “The Future is Entrepreneurial.”
Nwosu said the initiative, which started nearly a decade ago, was designed to equip young Nigerians with practical skills and financial support needed to build sustainable businesses.
He explained that the programme complements academic qualifications by providing beneficiaries with entrepreneurial skills required in today’s economy.
According to him, participants were trained in various areas, including wig making, tailoring, food preservation, paint production, mixology and other income-generating ventures.
Nwosu said more than 5,000 Nigerians registered for the programme in 2025, with 50 beneficiaries receiving seed grants to establish businesses.
He added that over 8,000 people registered for the latest edition, with 3,500 participants and 100 beneficiaries who were selected for financial support.
“We do not just train them and leave them. We train them and provide seed money to enable them start their businesses,” he said.
The UCLA President noted that some of the products displayed during the exhibition were produced by beneficiaries of previous editions of the programme.
He attributed the success of the initiative to partnerships with individuals, organisations and volunteers who provided resources and technical expertise.
Nwosu called for stronger collaboration between government and credible non-governmental organisations to ensure empowerment programmes reached people at the grassroots.
According to him, organisations with proven capacity should be engaged in identifying, training and supporting beneficiaries for greater impact.
He urged beneficiaries to see the grant as business investments and avoid diverting the funds to non-productive activities.
“This money is not for luxury. It is meant to help them begin their entrepreneurial journey and create sustainable livelihoods,” he said.
Delivering the keynote address, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Dr Uju Rochas-Anwuka, urged young Nigerians to embrace entrepreneurship and innovation.
Dr. Rochas-Anwuka advised beneficiaries to make prudent use of the non-refundable N250,000 grants, noting that the support reflected confidence in their potential to build successful enterprises.
She also called for stronger partnerships among government, development partners and the private sector to expand opportunities for young entrepreneurs.
In separate goodwill messages, the Chairman of the International Advisory Committee, Rajan Nazran, and Chairman of the Global Advisory Committee for UCLA Projects, Chris Foltz, urged participants to remain resilient, seek mentorship and continue finding solutions that would positively impact their communities.
The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Centre, the Emir of Dass, His Royal Highness Usman Bilyaminu Othman, alongside the Acting Director of the Abuja Enterprise Agency, Dr Chudi Ugwuada-Ezuruigwe, commended the initiative and urged beneficiaries to embrace innovation, integrity and lifelong learning, while the Director of Programmes, Blessing Kala-Kala, reaffirmed the centre’s commitment to nurturing a new generation of entrepreneurs and job creators.
Beneficiaries of the Program,
Maureen Cockney and Aneke Kasiemobi described the empowerment programme as life-changing, saying it equipped them with practical skills and startup capital to start their own business and become self-reliant.
