The LAPO Institute for
Microfinance and Enterprise Development has  given a total of N2.8 million Thesis Support Grants to 19 post graduate students drawn from different universities in the country between 2015 and 2016.
The institute has also trained no fewer than 28,000 Nigerians drawn from public and private organisations on various skills from 2011 to July 2016.
The Chairman, Governing Council of the institute, Dr Godwin Ehigiamosoe, disclosed this during the 2nd annual LAPO conference on Microfinance and Enterprise Development held in Benin, recently.
The conference had as its theme “Confronting the Scourge of Poverty through Microfinance: Issues and Challenges.’’
Ehigiamosoe said that the 28,000 Nigerians were trained on basic entrepreneurship techniques, basic business management, business development services as well as information and communication technology skills.
He also said that 2,098 participants were supported with capacity development programmes in Rivers, Delta, Kogi, Bayelsa and some other agencies of the Federal Government.
He said the institute’s support grants to post-graduate students was part of the institute’s corporate social responsibility initiatives toward the development of the country’s educational sector.
“Ten beneficiaries comprised four Masters and six PhD students were given grants of N1.3 million in 2015.
“While in the 2016 edition, a total of nine PhD students benefitted from N1.5 million grants for their thesis,’’ he said.
Ehigiamosoe listed other achievements of the institute to include commencement of an e-learning programme for a range of students and participants, partnership with the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP).
He said that the institute was collaborating with the Uganda Martyr University for the purpose of awarding diploma and degree programmes in microfinance and community development in the country.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director, Grooming Centre, Mr Godwin Nwabunka, said microfinance institutions and banks had played tremendous roles in poverty alleviation through the generation of millions of jobs.
He said that the micro finance sub-sector had also helped in financial inclusion and relocation of resources to the poor in the country.
He, however, listed challenges confronting the micro finance sub-sector to include policy and regulatory issues, operational capacity, limited access to funding and reputation issues.
Nwabunka, therefore, called on government at all levels to support micro credit activities to thrive more in the country.