SMEDAN Moves To Empower 100,000 Young Entrepreneurs

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The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has launched the Building Resilient Young Nigerian Entrepreneurs (BRYNE) Project, an initiative designed to expand entrepreneurship opportunities and support systems for young Nigerians nationwide.

The programme, unveiled as part of SMEDAN’s activities to mark International Youth Day 2026, aims to provide more than 100,000 young entrepreneurs annually with access to enterprise training, incubation, mentorship, financing opportunities, market connections and business development support.

Speaking on the initiative, SMEDAN Director General/Chief Executive Officer, Mr Charles Odii, said BRYNE was created to address the challenges faced by young Nigerians seeking to start and grow businesses.

“Across the country, we meet young people with ideas, skills and businesses that can grow, but many still struggle to find the right support at the right time.

“BRYNE brings several of those opportunities together, from training and incubation to finance, markets and mentorship,” Odii said.

He added that the programme would help more young Nigerians build sustainable enterprises capable of creating jobs and contributing to economic growth.

Also, the Head of SMEDAN’s Women and Youth Unit, Deputy Director Bimpe Fawale, said BRYNE would operate through four major channels aimed at reaching entrepreneurs in communities, tertiary institutions and online spaces.

She said SMEDAN Incubation Programme (SIP) will support 600 young entrepreneurs annually in sectors such as fashion, woodwork and agriculture through the Agency’s network of Industrial Development Centres across the country.

“The Campus Enterprise Engagement Platform, developed in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education, will take entrepreneurship support directly to…