The Activate Success International Foundation (ASIF), in partnership with Flutterwave, has awarded grants and empowerment tools worth over ₦72 million to 149 young entrepreneurs at the 2026 Youth Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Programme (YEEP). The event, held in Abuja, brought together government officials, private sector leaders, and development partners dedicated to expanding economic opportunities for Nigerian youths through entrepreneurship.
Grant Disbursement and Support
Cash grants and vocational support packages were distributed to beneficiaries from across the country. The total disbursement exceeded ₦72 million, with several recipients also receiving industrial sewing machines to enhance their businesses. The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, supported 40 entrepreneurs with ₦500,000 each, totaling ₦20 million. The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, provided ₦2.5 million to five beneficiaries. ASIF and Flutterwave jointly supported 30 beneficiaries, with 25 receiving ₦500,000 each (₦12.5 million) and five receiving sewing machines. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu made the largest contribution, supporting 74 beneficiaries with ₦500,000 each, totaling ₦37 million.
Call to Embrace Entrepreneurship
ASIF Founder and CEO Love Idoko-Uloko challenged youths to embrace entrepreneurship, innovation, and courage. She stated that Nigeria's greatest challenge is not a lack of talent but the absence of structures to transform youthful potential into productive enterprise. She emphasized that Nigeria needs a generation ready to build, not one waiting for rescue. Under the theme “Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Courage and Impact,” she described entrepreneurship as disciplined value creation, innovation as commitment to relevance, courage as action amid uncertainty, and impact as the true measure of success.
Idoko-Uloko lamented the gap between talent and opportunity, education and employability, and aspiration and access. She noted that millions of young Nigerians have ideas and creativity but lack support systems to create sustainable livelihoods. ASIF was established over a decade ago to ensure no youth's future is limited by birth circumstances, evolving into a national platform for empowerment through training, leadership, and enterprise support. She disclosed that over 90% of ASIF-supported businesses remain operational, 85% are registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, and over 70% have recorded significant growth. She praised Flutterwave, the lead sponsor of YEEP 2026, for supporting the programme's vision.
