Chamber Urges Youths To Utilise N2bn SME Fund

The Benin Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BENCCIMA), has urged young entrepreneurs in Edo State to key into the N2 billon Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) fund to support their businesses.
 The President of BENCCIMA, Mrs Aina Omo-Ojeonu, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Benin yesterday.
 Reports say that the recently launched N2 billion MSME development fund was unveiled by  the Edo government in collaboration with the Bank of Industry (BOI) in August.
 The Edo State Government provided N1 billion while the  BOI provided the other N1 billion, making the N2 billon to support about 50,000 businesses located within the state.
 Omo-Ojeonu, said the chamber was collaborating with the youth wing of the National Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Edo chapter, to sensitise youths to ways to access the fund.
 “The NACCIMA Youth Entrepreneur Coordinator for the state was at the unveiling of the fund and we have asked him to mobilise young entrepreneurs to apply for the loan.
 “We are planning a meeting with young entrepreneurs, both members and non members of the NACCIMA youth entrepreneur group, to tell them about the benefits of such funds,” she said.
 The president then commended the Edo government and the BOI for the gesture noting that it would lead to more youth empowerment and job creation in the state.