Encomium
On Monday, January 5, MTN Foundation kicked off the year with its ICT Skills and Training programme, upskilling over 2,000 young Nigerians. The seventh phase of the project is focused on supporting Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to embrace digital transformation, at a time when SMEs remain the backbone of the Nigerian economy. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), SMEs account for over 90 per cent of businesses in Nigeria and employ a significant portion of the country’s workforce, underscoring the importance of initiatives that strengthen their productivity and sustainability.
Following a one-month call for applications in September 2025, which saw over 61,000 entries from Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 35, the 6,000 selected trainees have embarked on a five-week training that will end in February 2026. The virtual training programme began with a general onboarding session that brought together participants across four business tracks and set the foundation for a four-week programme focused on practical digital growth.
Entrepreneurs from sectors including food services, fashion, retail, logistics, beauty, and printing attended the training. The programme emphasises practical, affordable digital tools rather than complex or costly technology, ensuring that even early-stage SMEs with limited resources can begin their digital journey and see measurable results.
At the heart of the training is the principle that digital transformation is a continuous journey, not a one-off exercise. Participants were encouraged to start small, digitise repetitive tasks, and scale gradually using the Kaizen approach of continuous improvement. This mindset allows SMEs to see technology as a practical enabler of growth rather than a barrier. As the week progressed, the trainees also learned about telesales and cybersecurity.
Speaking on the importance of the initiative, Odunayo Sanya, Executive Director of the MTN Foundation, said the programme is designed to equip young microbusiness owners with skills that directly address real business challenges. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and helping young entrepreneurs adopt simple digital tools can make a real difference in productivity, sustainability, and long-term growth,” she said.
The implementation partner, spearheaded by Learning Core Company, an e-learning platform dedicated to upskilling Nigerian youth with the digital skills needed to thrive, commenced the programme with a Monday session facilitated by Babajide Jolaolu-Kehinde, a Business Analyst and Digital Transformation Expert. He guided participants through step-by-step approaches tailored to small businesses.
He also facilitated a session titled “Digital Transformation: Meaning and Urgency for Nigerian Businesses,” where he highlighted how automating repetitive tasks saves time, reduces errors, and improves efficiency. Babajide introduced accessible tools such as WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business for customer engagement, as well as the integration of similar tools with MTN’s MoMo API. He emphasised that improved digital visibility enables SMEs to better understand customer behaviour and make informed business decisions.
The impact of these tools was illustrated through facilitator-led case studies shared during the session. These included case studies such as Amoke Alamala, a cafeteria owner who grew her customer base by 300 per cent within five months using digital ordering and payments. The popular Korede Spaghetti around the University of Lagos expanded from a roadside kiosk to online sales, increasing daily orders from 20 to 95 plates through digital storefronts, QR code payments, and social media marketing.
Participants will continue to access learning materials and session recordings for the 5-week course, ensuring that digital adoption extends beyond the classroom. By combining practical guidance, relatable case studies, and ongoing support, the programme reinforces the message that digital growth for SMEs does not require heavy investment or advanced technology.
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News story
MTN Foundation Kicks Off ICT Business Skills Training for Over 2,000 Young Nigerians
OR
Over 2,000 SMEs Enrolled in ICT Business Skills Programme Supporting National Digital Economy Goals
In line with the Federal Government’s National Digital Economy and SME Development agenda, MTN Foundation commenced the seventh phase of its ICT business skills onboarding for more than 2,000 entrepreneurs drawn largely from Nigeria’s growing small and medium-scale enterprise (SME) sector. The first week of the virtual training programme ran from Monday, January 5, 2026, to Friday, January 9, 2025. The programme is designed to help small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs move from paper-based ways of working to simple digital tools that improve productivity and efficiency.
The session was presented by Babajide Jolaolu-Kehinde, a business analyst and moderated by Temiloluwa Oyekanmi, programme and partnerships lead. He introduced the SWOT framework – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats – to help participants assess their businesses and prioritise areas for improvement.
Babajide emphasised the importance of keeping records digitally, adopting online payment options and tracking customer data to enable measurable growth, noting that these practices align with broader government efforts to formalise and scale SMEs across Nigeria. The message was plain: hope is good, but action and systems make growth happen.
Trainers demonstrated how traders who previously relied on handwritten records expanded their customer base by adopting digital tools such as WhatsApp, online marketplaces and basic spreadsheets. Other examples included accepting mobile transfers instead of cash and using digital order channels to reach customers beyond their immediate locations.
A key focus of the discussion was the limitation of manual operations, with trainers noting that paper-based records restrict visibility into sales performance and customer behaviour. Digital tools, they explained, provide real-time data, reduce errors and open access to wider markets beyond local communities.
At the end of the onboarding, participants were encouraged to adopt at least one digital improvement, while organisers confirmed plans for follow-up workshops and mentorship to support sustained SME growth and contribute to Nigeria’s long-term economic development goals. The training is expected to continue for another 4 weeks.
