By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC), Dr Asemakaha Amaabai, has disclosed that the agency has directly employed 580 individuals and facilitated 3,008 indirect jobs in under two years through its revitalised business ventures.
Speaking during an engagement with journalists in Makurdi, Dr Asemakaha said the employment was generated through various BIPC enterprises, including its bread and water factories, nail production facility, and fertiliser plant.
He explained that these initiatives stemmed from a risk and needs analysis conducted at the start of his tenure, which identified Benue as overly reliant on the civil service. The company, he noted, has since resolved to shift the economic narrative by encouraging residents to acquire skills and run small businesses alongside formal education.
“To achieve this vision, Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration has deliberately prioritised individual economic growth by involving the people in government-led initiatives that allow them to earn a living rather than depend on stipends,” Asemakaha said.
He added that the bread and water factories alone have helped regulate prices of essential items in the market, making them more affordable for low-income earners. The initiative, according to him, has empowered many small-scale traders, especially young women, widows, and schoolchildren, who buy directly from the factories to resell, thereby improving their livelihoods.
Addressing the employment gap, Dr Asemakaha acknowledged that neither BIPC nor the state government has the capacity to absorb the estimated 16,000 graduates produced annually in the state. He said this reality underpins the administration’s focus on entrepreneurship and skills development as sustainable alternatives.
The BIPC boss also announced the rollout of a hire purchase scheme for motorcycles, through which residents can acquire bikes by making gradual payments. He disclosed that several beneficiaries had completed their payments within nine months, while others are nearing completion, putting them on the path to full ownership.
To deepen financial inclusion, he added, the state government encourages participants in its business support schemes to save with NOVUS Microfinance Bank, the state’s financial institution. In addition, civil servants are being granted access to loans for personal projects, with repayments deducted directly from their salaries.
Dr Asemakaha further revealed that BIPC has trained Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in bread and water production to help them transition from relying on relief to becoming self-reliant. He said financial assistance would be extended to the trainees to help them establish their own businesses.
However, he expressed concern about the shortage of skilled local technicians, lamenting that the company still relies on machine operators from outside the state. He called on Tiv, Idoma, and Igede youths to embrace vocational training and entrepreneurship, rather than wait for unavailable white-collar jobs.
“I strongly encourage Benue youths to take advantage of the administration’s micro-business policy and learn relevant skills to enhance their standard of living,” he said.