The Group Managing Director of the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC), Dr Raymond Asemakaha, on Monday urged youths in the state to leverage the newly passed Benue State Startup Act to transform their talents, ideas and innovations into sustainable businesses.

Asemakaha made the call while speaking at the Benue Youth Fire Conference, a youth-focused programme featuring talent hunts, entrepreneurship, business and fashion activities at Dunamis Church in Makurdi.

Dr Asemakaha challenged young people to move beyond the mindset of job seekers and become job creators capable of contributing to economic growth and reducing unemployment in the state.

The BIPC leader, who spoke on “Turning Your God-Given Potentials into Value Addition”, focused on the need for young people to combine character, talent and hard work in building businesses that create value and impact.

Asemakaha identified three critical forms of capital every young entrepreneur must develop before chasing financial resources: spiritual capital, human capital and financial capital.

According to him, spiritual capital represents character and integrity, which he described as the foundation upon which sustainable businesses must be built. He warned that financial success without integrity could ultimately destroy an entrepreneur and his business.

He described human capital as the gifts, talents and skills possessed by individuals, stressing that young people should identify their abilities and develop them into marketable solutions.

“Your gift is your first capital,” he told the youths, urging them to stop seeing lack of money as an excuse for failing to start a business.

He noted that talents in fashion, technology, agriculture, catering and other creative industries could be developed into viable enterprises if properly harnessed.

The third capital, financial capital, according to Asemakaha, requires hard work, discipline, planning and productivity. He urged young people to start with available resources, grow gradually and acquire knowledge before seeking substantial funding.

Asemakaha further identified fear, procrastination and unhealthy comparison as major obstacles that prevent young people from turning their ideas into businesses.

He advised youths to start small, pursue excellence, continue learning and build enterprises capable of creating jobs and solving problems in their communities.

According to him, the ultimate goal of entrepreneurship should go beyond personal wealth to include job creation and positive social impact.

He therefore donated seed capital to participants, encouraging them to return home and begin building with the resources, talents and knowledge available to them.

He urged Benue youths to start with God, develop their gifts, embrace hard work and use the opportunities provided by the Startup Act to build businesses that would contribute to the economic development of the state.

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