The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has unveiled its flagship youth-focused project, the Building Resilient Young Nigerian Entrepreneurs (BRYNE) Project.
Announced by SMEDAN Director-General Charles Odii during activities commemorating International Youth Day 2026, the nationwide project aims to equip over 100,000 aspiring and existing young business owners every year with hands-on enterprise training, mentorship, incubation, funding pathways, and market access.
The Four Delivery Pillars of the BRYNE Project
According to Bimpe Fawale, Deputy Director and Head of SMEDAN’s Women and Youth Unit, the project will operate across four structured delivery channels designed to engage youths in local communities, academic campuses, and online platforms:
- SMEDAN Incubation Programme (SIP): Provides intensive physical incubation and facility support for 600 young entrepreneurs annually across high-growth sectors including agriculture, fashion, and woodwork, utilizing SMEDAN’s Industrial Development Centres nationwide.
- Campus Enterprise Engagement Platform: A joint initiative with the Federal Ministry of Education aimed at reaching up to 3,000 students per participating tertiary institution through practical business workshops, networking sessions, exhibitions, and advisory services.
- BRYNE Digital Connect (BDC): An online educational and networking platform designed to deliver enterprise learning, spotlight grassroots youth-led businesses, and connect remote entrepreneurs directly with broader domestic and international markets.
- Weekly Startup Hackathons & Seed Funding: A continuous enterprise challenge engaging approximately 5,000 young entrepreneurs annually. A total of 52 winners—one selected every week—will each receive ₦250,000 in equity-free seed grant funding to pilot or scale their business ideas.
Unlocking Business Growth & Formalization
Beyond initial training and funding, participants in the BRYNE project will be integrated into SMEDAN’s wider support ecosystem. This includes assistance with official business registration and formalization, linkages to commercial investors, access to specialized export channels, and long-term advisory support to ensure startup survival in Nigeria’s evolving market landscape.
Interested applicants and young founders can register on the SMEDAN portal (portal.smedan.gov.ng) to access upcoming opportunities under the BRYNE project.
