By Bello Dankano
One of Africa’s leading telecommunications companies, MTN Nigeria, has empowered young entrepreneurs in Kano with N5 million in startup grants to help them launch and expand their businesses.
The empowerment was part of “The Gathering on 100,” a youth-focused initiative that brought together entrepreneurs, content creators, innovators and culture shapers for networking, creativity and self-expression.
SolaceBase reports that the event featured a Pitchathon competition, alongside creative exhibitions, technology showcases and recreational games including chess, Scrabble and table tennis.
Speaking with journalists, MTN’s Senior Manager, Sales, North-East Region, Abu-Sufyan Aliyu, said the initiative was designed to provide young people with a platform to connect, exchange ideas, discover their talents and develop innovative solutions capable of transforming society.
According to him, the programme reflects MTN’s commitment to supporting youth development by creating an enabling ecosystem where young people can unlock their potential and pursue their ambitions.
“The Gathering on 100 is a platform that brings young people together to connect, share ideas and develop innovative solutions to challenges affecting them. It is also an opportunity for them to express themselves and discover their potential,” he said.
Read Also:MTN expands media programme to 25 fellows, opens applications
Aliyu noted that the creative activities, including painting, gaming and other interactive sessions, were deliberately designed to inspire participants to break barriers, think differently and develop ideas that could shape their future and positively impact society.
He said winners of the Pitchathon competition received cash grants to support their business ideas, with the overall winner receiving N2.5 million, while the first and second runners-up received N1.5 million and N1 million, respectively.
“The grants are our token of support to help these young entrepreneurs kick-start or scale up their businesses based on the promising ideas they have presented,” he added.
The winner of the competition, Samiat Damilola-Yusuf, co-founder of Applicant, expressed gratitude to MTN for recognising her team’s innovation.
She explained that Applicant, a platform developed barely three months ago, was already generating revenue by helping organisations manage programmes more efficiently.
Read Also:Skyline University Nigeria trains over 100 journalists on strategic intelligent leadership in Kano
Damilola-Yusuf said the grant would be invested in improving the platform, expanding its workforce and strengthening its marketing strategy to reach more organisations and users.
She described the support as a major boost that would accelerate the company’s growth and broaden its impact.
After Kano, the nationwide initiative will continue its tour, having earlier visited Lagos, Enugu and Aba, with Abuja expected to host the next edition.
