Kaduna Start-up and Entrepreneurship Programme (KAD-STEP)

Kaduna State Government - In line with the efforts of the Kaduna State Government to revamp the state’s economy and create more jobs, the Administration of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai introduced KAD-STEP in other to facilitate job creation opportunity for the young and unemployed in Kaduna State.



Applications are invited for:

Kaduna Start-up and Entrepreneurship Programme (KAD-STEP)

Kaduna Startup & Entrepreneurship Program is aimed at encouraging, funding and supporting aspiring entrepreneurial youth in Kaduna State to develop and execute Innovative Enterprises.
From “Idea” to “Start-up” participants would be trained rigorously and monitored closely and a loan support would be given at the end of the intensive training.

Programe Structure

  • The Programme is structured as a 10 + 2 week arrangement where qualified candidates go through a world-class programme equivalent to an Entrepreneurship Diploma plus access to finance.
  • Initially there is a 10 - week intensive training followed by a grand examination which leads to a 2 - week access to finance training and accessing the loan. Candidates are initially issued with an interim statement of result and subsequently will be issued with an ENTREPRENEURSHIP DIPLOMA, If they run the Business successfully for 18 Months.
  • After Registration Applicants are to Apply for KADSTEP loan by putting down their Viable and Innovative Business Plan on KADSTEP website through the link that would be sent to every applicant after registration.
  • All Business Plans would by marked by a computerized business plan program and verified by KADSTEP consultants. Successfully candidates would receive an invitation to proceed to Kaduna Business School for Training.
  • A 10 - week intensive training followed by a grand examination would follow immediately after the selection process has ended for each batch.
  • Only candidates that attain 2.75 GPA and above after the 10 weeks training will be assigned mentors and allow to apply for the Bank of Industry loan.
  • Finally successful candidates would be given their loan to start-up.

Who Can Apply

  • To be eligible for the Business Plan Competition you must satisfy the following criteria
  • You must be a proven citizen of Nigeria no older than 45 years (proof of identity: International passport/Drivers License/National ID/Voters card required).
  • You must have a post-secondary school qualification.
  • Your proposed business venture must be within Kaduna State and your Local Government Area of Residence.
  • Your proposed venture must be within the real sector (Production, Allied Services, Manufacturing, ICT, etc..)
  • You must prepare an innovative business concept summary.