By; AMOS TAUNA, Kaduna
An undergraduate internship programme has been launched by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to identify, train, and empower future entrepreneurs on campuses across the country.
Charles Odii, the agency’s Director General, during the official launch of the programme held at Baze University in Abuja, announced that the program would target 10,000 internship placements through the programme in 2024.
The Director General’s media aide, Peter Adeshina, in a statement on Friday, explained that the agency has secured the commitment of several prestigious firms to provide opportunities for students seeking practical knowledge and experience through the programme and unveiled Miss Farida Akuyam, a Business Management student at the university, as a pioneer participant of the programme.
According to the statement, the initiative code-named the “SMEDAN Undergraduate Internship Programme “ was designed to provide hands-on entrepreneurial experience to students through quality internships at renowned organisations.
The statement explained, “We want to spot and nurture the builders of Nigeria’s next unicorns, and this programme is a major step towards achieving that goal. It is a significant demonstration of the agency’s commitment to advancing the MSME sub-sector by making the right investments in talent and innovation. Selected students will receive specialized training, experiential learning, networking opportunities, and mentorship.”
