The Adolescent Health Information Project (AHIP), in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) through its ROOTS Project, has conducted a three-day training for migrant returnees to promote financial literacy and business management.
The programme is designed to equip participants with financial management skills to enhance self-reliance and discourage irregular migration.
The ROOTS Project Programme Manager, Halima Kasim, who spoke during the training on Wednesday, said the initiative was part of efforts to support migrant returnees in rebuilding their livelihoods.
Kasim said many irregular migrants return home after experiencing hardship, deportation, and financial losses, which made reintegration into their communities difficult.
She said the project had earlier trained some beneficiaries on agricultural value addition, the processing of agricultural produce into flour, climate-smart agriculture, and agribusiness.
Kasim said: “This current training is the fourth and final phase of the programme.
“It focuses on financial literacy and business management to enable participants to effectively manage and sustain their businesses.
“Our goal is to help beneficiaries develop sound financial management skills, cultivate a savings culture, access business financing, and build sustainable livelihoods.
“We also want to encourage young people to explore opportunities within Nigeria instead of embarking on dangerous irregular migration journeys that often expose them to abuse and exploitation.”
Also speaking, the Founder of Smart Consultancy Network, Shu’aibu Umar, said the training would provide participants with practical knowledge on financial literacy and small business management.
He said it would help participants understand the importance of separating personal finances from business funds, a practice many small-scale entrepreneurs often neglect.
“We want them to develop a strong savings culture and understand that consistent savings, even in small amounts, can support business expansion and financial stability,” Umar said.
One of the participants, Habibu Abdullahi, a small-scale businessman who spoke on behalf of others, described the training as timely and impactful.
He said the knowledge gained would help participants become more disciplined in managing both personal and business finances and improve the sustainability of their enterprises. (NAN).
