The NNPC Foundation has commenced business pitching assessment for no fewer than 2,659 corps members trained by the foundation to support their businesses through distribution of grants and start-up packs.

The Managing Director, NNPC Foundation, Mrs Emmanuella Arukwe, said on Thursday in Abuja that the empowerment was part of the foundation’s efforts to tackle post graduation youths unemployment and help them become economically self-sufficient.

“We are very passionate about the young people and we think that this is the demography and the financial literacy programme is NNPC Foundation’s initiative to equip young graduates with necessary skills for personal and professional development,” she said.

Arukwe said during the business pitching assessment for eligible NYSC members, that the programme was designed to equip the participants for a successful outing in businesses.

She said the empowerment was done in partnership with Kudimata Nigeria Limited and the NNPC Academy.

The managing director said that corps members whose business plans projects stood out would receive start-up packs and advisory services for their businesses.

She said that the selection criteria were focused on visibility and sustainability of the business idea, market relevance and competitive edge, among others.

Mr Paul Bambe, the Assistant Director, NYSC Department of Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, said the empowerment was a three-fold partnership for financial literacy education for corps members in and post camp.

Bambe said that after the learning stages, the corps members would pitch their business ideas for financial management.

“They have passed through those stages of financial literacy, then, NNPC foundation will give the start-up packs for their businesses.

“We are gathered here to look at those who have pitched their business ideas after financial literacy.

“The 2,659 corps members will be assessed in this forum,” he said.

Mr Abdulrahim Haruna, the Chief Technology Officer, Kudimata Nigeria Limited, said the organisation had trained no fewer than 300,000 corps members on financial literacy.

Haruna said the corps members underwent rigorous assessment before being chosen.

Some of the corps members said that the exercise had better enlightened them on the types of businesses to venture into irrespective of the finances involved.

Hilary Ugwuanyi, a corps member, said the programme had educated him on how to become a better entrepreneur.

“What we have is the NNPC foundation teaching us financial literacy on how to stand on our own and the type of business to go into, the risks involved so that we do not depend on white collar jobs,” he said.

Onyinyechi Emejo, also a corps member, said the programme had taught her how to stand out and grow in any business to become a global entrepreneur.

Emejo appreciated the NNPC foundation and their partners for the opportunity to become a successful business woman.

“I learnt how to invest my money wisely because you can have money and not know how to invest it,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the empowerment commenced in Aug. 2023 with the training of over 284,000 corps members on financial literacy. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)