Transform your talent into a sustainable career, business, or venture through a 12-month leadership, entrepreneurship, innovation, and venture development journey.
SYDP is a structured youth empowerment and enterprise development initiative designed to identify, nurture, mentor, and support talented young people in transforming their natural abilities into productive economic assets.
To build Africa's leading university-based youth development ecosystem that transforms talents into enterprises, leaders, innovators, and job creators.
To identify, profile, develop, mentor, and support young people in converting their talents and innovative ideas into sustainable enterprises and impactful careers.
UNILAG Cohort 1 (July 2026) is co-created by Auxilium Max Company Limited (AMC), Lead Implementor, and BlackBelt Global Consulting Limited, Strategic Partner & Co-Delivery Lead — the proof-of-concept for Pan-African expansion.
SYDP is more than training. Every participant is supported through four connected commitments that turn raw talent into an investment-ready venture and a future leader.
Build knowledge and practical skills across leadership, enterprise, innovation, and venture development.
Invest funds and resources to unlock each participant's full potential and momentum.
Connect participants with mentors, partners, investors, employers, and industry leaders.
Transform ideas into sustainable ventures — and participants into future leaders.
A rigorous, faculty-led process ensures we identify truly motivated, high-potential participants from across the University of Lagos.
Twelve departments nominate through Department Presidents, Class Representatives & Faculty Leadership. Approximately 1,000 students identified.
Students screened on CV, character, leadership potential, academic standing, and peer recommendations. 600 students selected.
Selected students complete a digital profile capturing talents, skills, enterprise interests, leadership experience & mentorship preferences.
Students select from interconnected business ecosystems designed to strengthen collaboration, value chains, and long-term mentorship within Nigeria's most dynamic sectors.
Participants outside these pathways may select OTHER — Petroleum, Maritime, Aviation, Mining, Manufacturing or Emerging Industries.
Friday, 3 July 2026 · 3:00 PM WAT · 100% Virtual — Join from anywhere. Log in by 2:45 PM for check-in and onboarding.
VH
Founder & CEO, BlackBelt Global Consulting Limited & BlackBeltCEO Venture Studio
SYDP is not a one-off event. It is a full 12-month pathway that carries participants from a virtual launch all the way to an investment-ready venture with long-term support.
Fully online orientation and business excellence training.
Hands-on delivery post-examinations, applying skills to real ideas.
Selected teams enter structured incubation across twelve tracks.
Pitch to investors, partners, and industry leaders.
Ongoing mentorship, investment readiness, and venture support.
After training, participants are supported within specialist tracks — each led by ecosystem partners with deep domain expertise.
Software, green energy, health, security & transportation tech.
AI-driven film, content creation and creator development.
Illustration, animation, fine arts and creative production.
Fashion design, accessories, skincare and haircare ventures.
Agriculture, food processing, distribution and culinary.
Music, film, tourism, hospitality and digital media.
Interior design, landscape, construction and facilities.
Social media management, branding and digital marketing.
Market research, business intelligence and advisory.
Impact ventures, measurement and social investment.
Talent management, recruitment and workforce development.
Event management, experiential and live production.
SYDP is designed to convert raw talent into a scalable, investment-ready venture. Each stage adds value — skills become businesses, and businesses become assets that attract investment.
Every participant has a pathway. No one is left behind — from full incubation for the top teams to an alternative track for everyone else.
All 600 participants undergo structured training across 12 modules covering talent profiling, leadership, financial literacy, marketing, project management & pitch development.
The Top 10 winning teams enter a structured incubation and acceleration track, co-delivered by AMC and BlackBelt Global Consulting Limited.
Remaining participants enrol in a PALMS Africa-led development track — preparing them to return to the next SYDP cohort as stronger, better-prepared teams.
The Opening Ceremony & Orientation is fully virtual. Join via YouTube Live or Google Meet from anywhere. Physical sessions resume in October 2026 (new session).
Watch and participate via the BlackBelt Global YouTube channel. Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss the live stream. Tue, Thu & Sat: 5–6 pm.
Industry-led facilitation by active professionals. Investor guest sessions, BOI compliance coaching, FM quality control mentoring, and the BlackBelt Global IRBC clinic.
Each module is facilitated by an expert practitioner and carries marks toward the 100-mark assessed total.
Voluntary long-term mentorship continues months and years after graduation — a distinctive SYDP feature.
Every module is led by an active business professional, executive, or academic — real experience in the room.
Principal Consultant, NBDSPL · Lead Implementor
PhD (hc), FIMC, CMC®, CMS, NBDSPL
PALMS Africa Network
University of Lagos — UNILAG Liaison
Gnovia Limited — AI for Management
Founder & CEO, BlackBelt Global Consulting Limited & BlackBeltCEO Venture Studio
Investor & sponsor guest sessions
Specialist organisations each bringing deep domain expertise, co-delivering the programme with governance depth and sectoral breadth.
Business Venture Studio & Pan-African Business Incubator. RC1908390 — Programme Design, Curriculum, Governance & Pan-African Expansion.
International Business Strategy & Investment Readiness Business Clinic (IRBC) co-delivery, plus Investment Matchmaking Demo Day facilitation.
Strategic leadership excellence training for innovative entrepreneurs and managers. Leads Stage 3 incubation track (Months 5–12).
Institutional coordination, student mobilisation across 12 departments & Faculty of Law venue support.
Artificial Intelligence for management excellence — equipping participants with practical AI tools for business operations.
SYDP delivers economic, social, and systemic impact — measurable, reported, and aligned to global development mandates.
SYDP is architected from Cohort 1 for continental scale. Partners who invest at the UNILAG stage gain preferred partner status across all future cohorts.
600 student entrepreneurs. Cohort 1, proof-of-concept and impact documentation.
1,200 additional participants. Standardised curriculum. National partnership model.
1,800 additional participants. Regional investment matchmaking.
2,400 participants. Pan-African SYDP Alumni Network. Continental Demo Day.
The Top 20 ventures pitch live to a global jury of angel investors, founders and governance experts — Thursday 30 July 2026, 5:00 PM WAT, virtual.
SYDP is building a complete venture development ecosystem. These initiatives roll out in future phases as the programme scales nationally and across Africa.
Dedicated funding vehicle to empower participants and ventures.
Physical EDCs providing incubation and enterprise support.
Scholarships opening access for high-potential youth.
Grant funding for standout ideas and early-stage ventures.
Digital platform preparing ventures for investors.
Structured space connecting mentors with participants.
A growing community of SYDP graduates and founders.
Live reporting on outcomes, jobs, and ventures created.
Four partnership tiers aligned to different levels of investment commitment. All partners receive co-branding, formal recognition, and structured impact reporting.
SYDP UNILAG Cohort 1 orientation opens Friday, 3 July 2026 — fully virtual. Participation is free, by nomination and selection. Register now or volunteer to support the programme.
Tell us how you'd like to be involved.
We respond within 48 hours · No commitment required
For all enquiries about the Strategic Youth Development Programme, Founding Cohort — University of Lagos.
Dr. David Adio-Moses
Department of Architecture, UNILAG
09164861478