Niger Delta MSME Empowers Young Entrepreneurs With ₦3m Grant

The Niger Delta Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) initiative on Wednesday awarded ₦3 million in business support grants to three young entrepreneurs in Bayelsa State, aimed at boosting innovation and sustainable enterprise development in the region.

The event, the fifth edition of the programme themed “Enhancing the Role of MSMEs as Drivers for Sustainable Growth and Innovation,” was held in Yenagoa.

The beneficiaries — Ochuko Richard, CEO of Dear Consultant; Blessing Asokomeh, CEO of Tak Hair Academy; and Ala Vanessa, CEO of Ala Gaps — each received a ₦1 million startup pack to expand their businesses.

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, represented by Secretary to the State Government, Nimibofa Ayawei, urged young entrepreneurs to embrace knowledge, technology and strategic thinking in navigating today’s rapidly evolving global economy. He noted that with the world population rising and natural resources dwindling, only those who “act and work smartly” would thrive.

He highlighted the progression of industrial revolutions and emphasized that the current era—driven by artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and the internet—requires innovators capable of creating order in an increasingly chaotic world.

“The Bayelsa government has been supporting MSMEs in recent years to foster the culture of entrepreneurship,” he said.

Founder of the Niger Delta MSMEs and Chairman of the Heritage Group, Moses Siasia, stressed that true wealth lies not only in material possessions but in the number of lives impacted. He noted that the organisation, in partnership with the federal government and financial institutions, has provided over 650 grants across the Niger Delta, leading to the creation of more than 20,000 jobs.

“These young people hold the keys to the future, and the destiny of the region lies in their hands,” Siasia said, urging the beneficiaries to drive positive change across the region.