Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Deadline: Ongoing
Applications are now open for the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) Entrepreneurship Training Programme 2025! This annual flagship program is aimed at equipping young Nigerian Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with the necessary business management skills, financial literacy, and strategic tools to build sustainable and scalable businesses.
Organized by the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) in collaboration with top entrepreneurship development institutions, the program seeks to empower over 2,000 entrepreneurs annually through a blend of virtual and in-person sessions. It is one of Nigeria’s largest private-sector-driven entrepreneurship support platforms.
Objectives
1. Ensure MSMEs are well equipped with skills and competencies to defend sound and viable business proposals.
2. Improve the Capacity of MSMEs to access available credit.
3. Improve the capacity of MSMEs for efficient funds utilization, trade, investments and access to markets.
Target Audience:
This is open to all Nigerian MSMEs across any sector, who are interested in acquiring the right knowledge needed to succeed in doing business in Nigeria.
Training Format
The programme takes a blended learning format approach of virtual and physical training.
Virtual Training:
The Virtual training is a self-paced comprehensive curriculum of the basic business principles broken down into 9 modules and will be implemented using the DBN learning management platform of the BizAid App.
Onsite Training:
This is a 5-day intense practical training and the curriculum is based on a needs assessment of the shortlisted businesses. A total of 300 businesses will be shortlisted for this to be trained in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
Pitching Session:
All businesses will be eligible to pitch their business value proposition and businesses will be selected to receive grant funding ranging from N500,000 to N1,000,000.
Benefits
Participants in the DBN Entrepreneurship Training Programme will receive:
- World-class business training delivered by top local and international trainers
- Capacity-building in areas like marketing, business planning, financial management, and investment readiness
- Peer networking and mentoring support
- Opportunity to pitch for grants and funding from DBN or other institutional partners
- Free access to the DBN Learning Management System
- Certificate of completion from DBN
SEE ALSO: DSTI-CSIR Inter-programme Bursary Scheme 2026 for Young South African Students
Eligibility Criteria
All applicants shortlisted for the onsite training must meet the below minimum eligibility criteria:
- Owner of business must be 18 years and above
- Business owner must be a citizen or legal resident of Nigeria
- The business must be based in Nigeria
- The business must be for profit from any sector
- Applicant must be available to commit to the training schedule once accepted
All industries are welcome, including agriculture, tech, health, manufacturing, fashion, and services.
Application Process and Documents Required
Selection Criteria
Bankability- Level of readiness to access credit
Feasibility and Sustainability of the business model
Scalability- Demonstrates potential for growth of business to create jobs
Training Programme Workflow
- All applicants must register on the DBN learning management system of the BizAid application.
- All applicants must complete a minimum of 4 mandatory courses on the BizAid Learning management platform and obtain an average score of 80% from all quizes. The courses that must be completed are:a. Accounting & Bookkeeping,b. Sustainability for MSMEsc. Marketing and Sales Techniques,d. Credit Management/Access to Finance
- All businesses who have completed the 4 courses by the stipulated deadline and achieved the required pass mark of 80% will receive an email with a link to apply for the face-to-face training.
- Upon submission of the application form, an email confirming receipt will be sent to the applicant within a 24-hour period
- Applicants will be screened and shortlisted from the close of the application based on the eligibility criteria
- Selection will be carried out using the defined selection criteria from the pool of shortlisted applications
- Communication with successful applicants shall be by email to the email address provided and a phone call to the phone number provided on the application form.
- Training will commence on announced dates consecutively in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt.
