Nigeria’s Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) was established by The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund Law 2016 to provide financial support to residents of Lagos State in tackling unemployment through job and wealth creation.
Recently, Ujama Akpata (Founder, ) shared a first-hand testimonial on social media that the LSETF does pull its weight. She says:
“After 7 incredible years of unwavering support and camaraderie, it’s undeniable that LSETF has become like family to us. Our journey began as beneficiaries of the pilot program of their loan scheme, where we received N5m with an interest rate of just 5% to be paid over 3 years.
“And here’s the kicker – we didn’t have any connections at the top. Our success was solely based on merit, thanks to LSETF’s transparent system and the thorough diligence conducted by their team, overseen by PWC. Thanks to the funds, we expanded our business by adding more bikes to our fleet to meet the growing customer demand. This also allowed us to create more jobs and cover operational costs effectively”.
Akpata continues: “But their support didn’t stop there. Over the years, LSETF has been our steadfast partner, offering us opportunities like free newspaper publications, free advertisement opportunities (in partnership with MTN – man in the box), speaking engagements at events, and invaluable business trainings. When we embarked on our rebranding journey, they stood by us every step of the way, providing free radio and Instagram live slots to amplify our PR efforts. Their presence at our event, cheering us on, spoke volumes about their dedication to our success.
“Thanks to Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), we’ve not only grown our business but also become part of a community of resilient and supportive entrepreneurs. Here’s to many more years of collaboration, growth, and making a positive impact together!”
And in conclusion: “I want to give a big shoutout to my dear friend Tosin Faniro-Dada, CPA for first telling us about the LSETF and encouraging us to apply seven years ago. And huge thanks to Teju Abisoye, Omolara Adewumi, Sheila Ojei, Hakeem Onasanya, Feyisayo A. and the entire LSETF team who’ve been with us every step of the way”.