By Ken Asinobi
…As Selection Committee Screens Over 500 Applicants
A new chapter in grassroots economic empowerment opened for the Ogoni people as the Ogoni Entrepreneurship Summit (OES) unveiled a ₦200 million revolving fund scheme for 2026, fully funded by its Convener, Chief Lesi Maol.
The initiative, conceived after the December 2025 Annual Ogoni Entrepreneurship Summit, is designed to strengthen self-reliance by supporting entrepreneurs, traders and small businesses across the area.
Addressing a press conference in Port Harcourt on Monday, Chief Maol said the programme reflects a deliberate investment in people and productive capacity, stressing that sustainable development must be driven from within the community.
Structured as a revolving fund, repayments by beneficiaries will finance future applicants, creating a cycle of shared prosperity.
Beyond financing, the scheme also provides guidance, training and monitoring to help beneficiaries build resilient businesses capable of generating employment and improving livelihoods.
To ensure credibility, the OES announced the establishment of a Grant Selection Committee chaired by Sir (Dr.) Leesi Gabriel Gborogbosi, with Engr. Tudor Miikor as Secretary, Dr. Elvis Lebura Ikoma as Finance Lead and Mr. Ndume Green as Media Lead.
The committee is responsible for application review, screening, due diligence, training and overall programme integrity.
Following the closure of the application portal on January 9, 2026, more than 500 applications were received and assessed, with 111 applicants shortlisted for a mandatory training programme scheduled for February 14.
Applicants not shortlisted in the first phase have been invited for physical screening from February 10 to 12 at Giolee Global Resources Corporate Headquarters near the Army Range/C4i checkpoint in Eneka, Port Harcourt.
Applicants have been advised to check the OES website for their screening status and to attend with OES T-shirts and Local Government Identification Certificates as part of accountability measures. The organisers described the intervention as more than a financial programme, noting it represents a collective resolve to move Ogoni from aspiration to productivity through enterprise, transparency and collaboration.
