The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has launched the Building Resilient Young Nigerian Entrepreneurs (BRYNE) Project, an initiative designed to expand entrepreneurship opportunities and support systems for young Nigerians nationwide.
The programme, unveiled as part of SMEDAN’s activities to mark International Youth Day 2026, aims to provide more than 100,000 young entrepreneurs annually with access to enterprise training, incubation, mentorship, financing opportunities, market connections and business development support.
Speaking on the initiative, SMEDAN Director General/Chief Executive Officer, Mr Charles Odii, said BRYNE was created to address the challenges faced by young Nigerians seeking to start and grow businesses.
“Across the country, we meet young people with ideas, skills and businesses that can grow, but many still struggle to find the right support at the right time.
“BRYNE brings several of those opportunities together, from training and incubation to finance, markets and mentorship,” Odii said.
He added that the programme would help more young Nigerians build sustainable enterprises capable of creating jobs and contributing to economic growth.
Also, the Head of SMEDAN’s Women and Youth Unit, Deputy Director Bimpe Fawale, said BRYNE would operate through four major channels aimed at reaching entrepreneurs in communities, tertiary institutions and online spaces.
She said SMEDAN Incubation Programme (SIP) will support 600 young entrepreneurs annually in sectors such as fashion, woodwork and agriculture through the Agency’s network of Industrial Development Centres across the country.
“The Campus Enterprise Engagement Platform, developed in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education, will take entrepreneurship support directly to tertiary institutions.
“The platform will provide business workshops, advisory services, networking opportunities and exhibitions for student entrepreneurs, targeting up to 3,000 participants per participating campus,” he said.
She said a weekly startup hackathon under the BRYNE initiative, which will provide business education and enterprise opportunities to 5,000 young entrepreneurs.
“Fifty-two selected winners will receive ₦250,000 each in seed funding, with one winner emerging every week,” he said.
Fawale explained that the programme was structured to support entrepreneurs at different stages of development.
“Some need help turning an idea into a business. Others already have businesses but need finance, mentorship, better market access or the right information to take the next step.
“BRYNE is designed to meet young entrepreneurs at those different stages,” she said.
She explained that beyond training and funding opportunities, beneficiaries will also be connected to business formalisation services, investor and market linkages, export support and other enterprise development resources provided by SMEDAN and its partners.
 has launched the Building Resilient Young Nigerian Entrepreneurs (BRYNE) Project, an initiative designed to expand entrepreneurship opportunities and support systems for young Nigerians nationwide.){kind=link}