BoI supports LCCI's mentoring programme

The Bank of Industry (BoI) has pledged to throw its weight behind the annual mentoring programme organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The bank's decision to support the programme was communicated to participants during the graduation ceremony organised for second batch of 2014 mentees.

Speaking to our correspondent during the event which held in Lagos rcently, the Director General, LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf, said the BoI had agreed to support the mentees with funds starting from 2015.

Yusuf added that the funds would go a long way in developing the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the country. He noted, 'The purpose of the mentorship programme is to develop youth entrepreneurship. It is a laudable initiative that the Bank of Industry has pledged to support. The young entrepreneurs under the programme will be able to access loan facilities from BoI because they belong to groups in LCCI.'

Also speaking during the graduation ceremony themed, 'Raising future business leaders,' the Chairman, Ogun State Board for Technical Education, Mrs. Doyin Ogunbiyi, noted that with more entrepreneurs spread all over the country, Nigeria would be a better place and the incidence of crime and poverty would be greatly reduced.

She urged graduands to see themselves as future drivers of the Nigerian economy, saying 'you have been trained to be trainers, so work hard and become employers of labour. My vision for this country is to see it become like China where every family home is a manufacturing company and orders are spread evenly across communities so they can meet the deadline.