The Federal Polytechnic Offa, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance and YouWiN! Connect Nigeria, has held a one-day Enterprise Education Lecture designed to equip students and entrepreneurs with practical knowledge and skills for starting, managing and growing sustainable businesses.
The programme, held on Thursday, 27th August, 2026, at the 1,000 capacity Lecture Theatre, Main Campus, also featured the distribution of free copies of the YouWiN! Enterprise Book, How to Plan, Start and Grow Your Business, to participants.
The Polytechnic’s participation in the initiative followed its selection by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Finance for the YouWiN! Enterprise Education Lecture and Free Books Distribution Exercise. The development was facilitated by the sustained engagement of the Management of the Polytechnic with relevant government ministries, agencies, development institutions and strategic partners.
YouWiN! Connect is a multimedia enterprise education programme of the Federal Government designed to educate young Nigerians on entrepreneurship and encourage them to explore business ownership as a viable and sustainable career pathway. As part of the initiative, the Federal Ministry of Finance organises Enterprise Education Lecture Series in tertiary institutions, complemented by the distribution of entrepreneurship-focused publications to participants.
The YouWiN! Project Implementation Unit (PIU) had engaged Abuyus Media Consultancy Ltd. as the local implementation facilitator for the exercise at The Federal Polytechnic Offa, with responsibility for liaising with the Polytechnic Management and coordinating the smooth execution of the programme.
The one-day lecture attracted a large number of students, alongside entrepreneurs and other members of the Offa community, reflecting the growing interest in entrepreneurship, self-reliance and enterprise development among young Nigerians.
In his welcome address, the Director, Special Duties, Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC), Dr. I. T. Agboola, welcomed participants and guests to the programme, describing the initiative as a timely and strategic intervention in preparing students for the realities of the contemporary labour market.
He noted that the collaboration between The Federal Polytechnic Offa, the Federal Ministry of Finance and YouWiN! Connect Nigeria demonstrated a shared commitment to nurturing innovative, self-reliant and job-creating graduates. Dr. Agboola further explained that the Entrepreneurship Development Centre remained committed to complementing the Polytechnic’s academic programmes with practical entrepreneurship initiatives that would expose students and community entrepreneurs to viable business opportunities and encourage them to translate ideas into productive ventures.
Giving the opening remarks on behalf of the Rector, the Deputy Rector (Administration), Dr. Salimonu Rasheed Ishaq, commended the Federal Ministry of Finance and YouWiN! Connect Nigeria for extending the initiative to the Polytechnic. He described the programme as a valuable opportunity for students and members of the community to gain practical knowledge and connect with Federal Government economic empowerment initiatives.
Dr. Ishaq urged the students to approach the lecture not merely as an academic exercise but as a practical pathway to self-discovery, enterprise creation and financial independence. He encouraged them to cultivate creativity, resilience, discipline and innovation, which he identified as essential attributes for succeeding in today’s competitive economic environment.
The Deputy Rector also assured the programme partners of the Polytechnic’s continued readiness to collaborate on initiatives capable of equipping students with employable and enterprise-driven skills, noting that the lecture was particularly relevant to the nation’s efforts to promote youth economic empowerment.
The Guest Speaker, Mr. Yekeen Olajuwon Abbas of the Federal Ministry of Finance, thereafter delivered a presentation on the YouWiN! entrepreneurship initiative, taking participants through the fundamentals of business planning, start-up strategies and sustainable business growth.
Drawing extensively from the Successful Nigerian Entrepreneurs handbook published by the Federal Ministry of Finance, which documents the journeys and experiences of notable Nigerian businesses and entrepreneurs, Mr. Abbas encouraged participants to regard entrepreneurship as a viable and rewarding career option. He emphasised that with the right mindset, discipline, determination and access to appropriate support structures, young Nigerians could develop successful businesses capable of generating wealth and employment.
The Guest Speaker also highlighted various government backed platforms and opportunities available to aspiring entrepreneurs, urging participants to explore and take advantage of such initiatives to transform viable business ideas into sustainable enterprises.
The presentation was followed by an interactive question and answer session during which students sought clarification on a range of issues, including business funding, idea development, business planning and strategies for establishing and growing enterprises. Mr. Abbas provided practical responses and guidance to the questions raised.
At the conclusion of the lecture, some copies of the YouWiN! entrepreneurship book were distributed free of charge to participants, providing them with additional practical resources to support their entrepreneurial development.
In his vote of thanks, Dr. Agboola expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Finance, YouWiN! Connect Nigeria, the Guest Speaker, the Management and staff of the Polytechnic, visiting entrepreneurs and the students for their contributions to the success of the programme.