One hundred and forty-nine young Nigerians are set to expand their businesses after receiving ₦72 million in grants and vocational tools under the 2026 Youth Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Programme (YEEP).
The empowerment initiative, organised by Activate Success International Foundation (ASIF) in partnership with Flutterwave, was held in Abuja and focused on transforming ideas into viable enterprises. Beneficiaries received cash grants and industrial sewing machines to strengthen their productive capacity.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, provided support for 40 entrepreneurs with grants of ₦500,000 each, amounting to ₦20 million. The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, also extended support to five beneficiaries with a total of ₦2.5 million.
As lead partners, ASIF and Flutterwave jointly funded 30 beneficiaries. Twenty-five recipients received ₦500,000 each, representing ₦12.5 million, while five others were presented with industrial sewing machines.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, made the largest single contribution to the programme, supporting 74 youths with grants of ₦500,000 each. His intervention totalled ₦37 million.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ASIF, Love Idoko-Uloko, urged young Nigerians to pursue entrepreneurship with discipline and vision.
Highlighting the programme’s theme of “Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Courage and Impact”, Idoko-Uloko described entrepreneurship as the disciplined creation of value and opportunity, innovation as a commitment to remaining relevant in a rapidly changing world, courage as the willingness to act in the face of uncertainty, and impact as the enduring measure of success.
She noted that the gap between talent and access continues to hinder many young Nigerians who possess promising ideas but lack the support required to grow them into sustainable ventures.
According to Idoko-Uloko, ASIF was established more than a decade ago “to ensure that no young Nigerian’s future is limited by circumstances of birth.” She added that the foundation has since evolved into a national platform providing training, leadership development, and enterprise support.
Providing an update on the foundation’s impact, she stated that “more than 90 per cent of businesses supported by ASIF remain operational, while 85 per cent have been formally registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, and over 70 per cent have recorded significant growth and expansion.”
Idoko-Uloko also commended Flutterwave for serving as the anchor partner for YEEP 2026, noting that the company’s support equips young entrepreneurs “with the tools required to thrive in a rapidly evolving economic environment.”
The initiative underscores the growing role of strategic partnerships in fostering entrepreneurship and creating pathways to economic empowerment for young Nigerians.
