Across Nigeria, women, young people, children and internally displaced persons continue to face barriers to economic empowerment. From lack of capital to limited access to education, training and digital tools, many remain locked in cycles of poverty.
Skillbridge Empowerment Initiative, an initiative founded by Deborah Idowu, is working to provide pathways out of these challenges. The organisation combines entrepreneurship training, financial inclusion, and community development, and has reached thousands of people in underserved communities.
One of its flagship projects, the Grassroots Entrepreneur Support Initiative, has supported more than 100 low-income individuals to start microenterprises in agriculture, crafts, and food production. “We want people to look at themselves as contributors to the economy, not just as dependents,” Deborah explained. “When a woman or a young person can generate income, it lifts an entire family and sometimes an entire community.”
To address the common problem of capital access, Skillbridge introduced a micro-grant matching scheme in collaboration with Metamorphosis Outreach Team that enabled more than 70 women-owned businesses to secure seed funding from cooperatives and angel donors. According to Deborah, the result has been encouraging. “In just one year, we saw a 50 per cent increase in the survival rate of these businesses. It shows that with a little support, small ideas can grow into lasting enterprises.
In a country where informal traders make up a large portion of the workforce, Skillbridge has embraced innovation through the ‘Business in a Backpack’ Toolkit, a mobile learning kit designed for market women and street vendors. Over 150 participants have improved their financial literacy by an average of 25 percent through the program. “Most of these traders are eager to learn but have no time to attend long training sessions,” Deborah said. “By taking learning to them in a simple format, we break down the barriers that keep learning out of reach.”
Another of Skillbridge’s milestones, the Community Enterprise Accelerator, has trained 75 aspiring entrepreneurs through a 6-week training program that resulted in 58% of participants registering their businesses and 35% accessing digital marketplaces. Deborah described this outcome as “a sign that grassroots entrepreneurs are ready to embrace formal systems if given the right tools.”
Beyond entrepreneurship, Deborah’s vision extends deeply into community development and inclusion. Through Skillbridge and her work with the Metamorphosis Christian Center, she has organized training programs for internally displaced persons, single mothers, and people with disabilities, reaching more than 600 individuals with workshops on branding, compliance, and cooperative marketing. “For us, inclusion is not just a buzzword. We want to ensure that those often excluded from economic life have a fair chance to participate,” she said.
Yet, her work doesn’t stop at business empowerment. With education in northern Nigeria facing a staggering crisis,millions of children out of school due to poverty, early marriage, and insecurity, Deborah and her team have stepped in. Through Skillbridge Empowerment Initiative, they are currently sponsoring the education of 5 children from northern Nigeria, with plans to expand the number of children every year.
“Education is the foundation of transformation,” she said. “If we don’t educate these children, we are only recycling poverty. Every child deserves the chance to dream and become.”
Deborah’s broader impact reflects her drive for excellence and sustainability. She co-founded a thriving food manufacturing company that grew from an initial ₦9,000 investment to generating over ₦101 million in annual revenue. The company now employs and empowers several women, creating ripple effects of economic independence across households.
As a certified professional in Food Safety and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and an alumna of the MTN Foundation Yellopreneur Programme, Deborah continues to merge business growth with social impact. Under her leadership, women-led supply chain networks have been strengthened, cutting raw material costs by 15 percent and improving profit margins.
Looking ahead, Deborah envisions scaling the organization’s reach through a hub that integrates digital finance, vocational education, and women-led enterprises. “The future of Africa’s growth lies in equipping communities at the grassroots,” she emphasized. “We are here to empower, to include, and to sustain.”
Through Skillbridge Empowerment Initiative, Deborah Idowu is not just empowering entrepreneurs; she is shaping a generation of changemakers and building a continental movement that redefines inclusive entrepreneurship. Her vision for empowerment, education, and enterprise is transforming communities in Nigeria and laying the foundation for Africa’s next wave of sustainable growth and shared prosperity.
