WorldStage– The Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group, Dr Umaru Kwairanga, has urged the youth to embrace entrepreneurship and wealth creation as viable ways to economic empowerment, rather than seeking opportunities abroad.
Kwairanga, in a statement, was quoted to have made the call in a goodwill message delivered at the 2026 Youth Week of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Abuja on Tuesday.
The theme of the programme was “Youth Economic Intervention, Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation in Nigeria: Japa Syndrome is Not the Solution.”
Kwairangaa said while some youths opted to migrate abroad in search of better opportunities, popularly known as “japa”, such decisions were often costly and might not yield the expected outcomes.
He identified entrepreneurship as a critical solution to Nigeria’s unemployment challenge, urging young people to develop innovative ideas capable of addressing societal problems and creating value.
He said countries such as China, Japan, Germany and the United States had built strong economies on the strength of small and medium-scale enterprises driven by innovation and access to capital.
“Nigeria’s demographic advantage will only translate into economic strength if we are able to convert youthful energy into productive capacity and that responsibility lies with all of us.
“To the students here today, I encourage you to see yourselves not just as beneficiaries of the system, but as active participants in its evolution.
“The future we seek will not be imported. It will be built here, by you,” he said.
The NGX chairman emphasised the need to instil an entrepreneurial mindset in youths early in life, encouraging them to focus on building businesses rather than relying solely on paid employment after graduation.
He noted that while starting a business in Nigeria might come with challenges such as access to finance, electricity and trust issues, success remained achievable through discipline, focus and resilience.
Kwairanga advised aspiring entrepreneurs to cultivate a savings culture, develop basic financial management skills and prepare structured business plans to guide their ventures.
He also cautioned against distractions such as excessive social media use and fraudulent schemes, which could derail entrepreneurial ambitions.
Highlighting investment opportunities, Kwairanga said participation in the capital market could serve as an avenue for wealth creation.
He said structured investment and value creation were key to long-term prosperity.
