CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele

The Director of Development Finance, Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Mudashir Olaitan, says the apex bank plans to engage at least 10,000 youths per state in agricultural production towards food security and job creation in the country.

He also reiterated the CBN’s readiness to support entrepreneurs in the country through its Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund.

While noting that Nigeria was ranked 101 out of 137 countries in the 2018 Global Entrepreneurship Index, Olaitan said the CBN was poised “to fast-track the development of medium and large enterprises along the agricultural value chain.”

He stated these on Saturday in Lagos during the 31st anniversary and reunion lecture of the 1988 class of the Lagos State University.

Olaitan was represented by Adebisi Adedeji at the lecture themed, ‘Financing Opportunities for Entrepreneurs under Government Intervention Programme’.

He said, “We have the initiative to provide local currency support to the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority for the procurement of raw materials for the production of NPK fertiliser.”

A former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, who chaired the occasion, said entrepreneurs needed education to be successful.