FG warns against fraud on YouWinConnect registration

The federal government said it has opened an online portal for the registration of prospective participants in its annual programme and warned applicants to disregard any website that offers alternative link for the YouWIN!Connect registration.

Federal Ministry of Finance in a statement on Friday by the Director of Information, Salisu Dambatta said under no circumstance should applicants pay money to anyone who demands money to facilitate the process or invites applicants to a meeting anywhere.

The Ministry said that applicants can register free of charge on the programme’s website: emphasizing that no personal contact is required for the registration exercise.

Meanwhile, YouWinConnect Team in the Federal Ministry of Finance has released the details of the registration procedure, programme overview, objectives and listed the eligibility criteria for prospective participants.

YouWiN! Connect is an annual programme of the Federal Ministry of Finance which prepares qualified ventures for funding. These ventures are promoted by young Nigerians in target sectors that align with the government’s objective of diversifying the economy and promoting competition and transparency.

The programme also aims to support young entrepreneurs as they PLAN, START and GROW their businesses by providing Online, Radio and Television Enterprise Education. YouWiN! Connect aims to promote entrepreneurship as well as viable career options for young Nigerians thereby creating jobs and wealth.

The overall aim of the program is to provide enterprise education which will in turn drive an upswing in the performance and growth of Nigeria’s economy through: Competitive marketplace for funding and supporting suitable businesses that are either new or existing; renewed drive and emphasis on innovation and enterprise as a culture among Nigeria’s large population of young persons.

Others include; spurring job creation in targeted sectors of national importance; enhancing skill acquisition for SMEs to improve productivity; enhancing tax and financial literacy of SMEs and adequately prepare them to seek financing; enhancing bankability of the participants by facilitating access to markets and providing support to industry networks and associations.

Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must have post-secondary school qualification; must be between the ages of 18 and 40; must be Nigerians and resident in Nigeria; businesses must be domiciled in Nigeria; Applicants must be able to communicate effectively – speaking and writing – in English; must be willing to attend all trainings and mentoring exercises organized by the programme; must not be an employee of the Nigerian Civil Service and previous YouWiN awardees are not eligible to apply.

Mathew Dadiya, Abuja