Abuja – The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Tuesday pledged to support Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE) Nigeria initiative.

Mr Paul Eluhaiwe, the Director of Development Finance Department, CBN made the pledge at the 2014 FCT SAGE Exhibition /Awards competition in Abuja.

Eluhaiwe said that SAGE’s programme, which develops the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders, was timely for the Nigerian youths.

“Entrepreneurship is the most effective method for bridging the gap between science and the market place, creating new enterprises and bringing new products and services to the market.

“These entrepreneurial activities if fully utilised, will significantly impact positively on the economy of the nation by building the economic base that will provide job opportunities.

“We have also given considerations to the importance of entrepreneurial to the society by crafting policies that will enhance their access to finance.

“The bank was also evolving programmes aimed at strengthening their capacities to develop their entrepreneurial ideas into virile and flourishing businesses.

“We believed that our youth enterprise will reduce the unemployment rate which is currently estimated to stand at about 23 per cent among adults in Nigeria.

“We need a strategy that will accommodate more effective synergies between education and the economy in order to provide future generations with the necessary skills and talents.

“This will enhance productivity and employment generation,” he said.

Eluhaiwe said the bank want to encourage the youths to have the opportunity to obtain the necessary skills and attitude.

He said that this would make them to be active and successful citizens at work and in society,’’ he said.

He said this would be through classroom creativity, literacy, entrepreneurship and innovation at all levels among the youths.

Mallam Kabir Usman, the Secretary for Education, FCT said the introduction of SAGE programme in the FCT schools had helped in the promotion of entrepreneurial education.

Usman was represented by Mr Ndako Guregi, the Deputy Director, Popularisation Science, Agric and Biotechnology, FCT Agency for Science and Technology.

“Our students are now learning the rudiments of doing real business and our schools in the SAGE programme have also embark on entrepreneurial projects that address the needs of their committee.”

Mr Agwu Amogwu, the President of SAGE Nigeria said the programme would showcase teenage entrepreneurial skills, innovation business and community service projects.

Amogwu said the competition was also going in others parts of the country.

He said the winner at the local level would represent the state at the 2014 SAGE National Exhibition and Award scheduled to hold between June 4 and June 7 in Lagos.

“Winners at the national level will represent Nigeria at the 2014 SAGE World Cup to be hosted by Russia.

“Over 20 countries, including U.S., Canada, China, Ghana, among others will participate in the SAGE World cup to hold between August 8 and August 15,” he said.

The FCT SAGE official, Mr Kingsley Eke, said SAGE was concentrating on educating teen entrepreneurs on hands-on learning process in creating wealth and committee services.

Eke said the programme would create an avenue for secondary schools to utilise their minds effectively, creating and developing ideas, wades off the thoughts of evil vices due to idleness.

“It will help them to inculcate the desire of building their own businesses and not waiting to get employed after universities in case they want to further their education,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 10 SAGE schools in the FCT participated in the 2014 Exhibition of products and services.

Government Girls Secondary School, Abaji and Junior Secondary School, Garki won the tickets on Socially Responsible Business presentation to represent FCT in Lagos.

Government Secondary School, Garki and Junior Secondary School, Jikwoyi won the tickets on Social Enterprise Business presentation to represent FCT in Lagos. (NAN)