By Lucy Ogalue

The Minister of State for Industry, Sen. John Enoh, has called for the establishment of a legal framework to back the operations of Business Development Service Providers (BDSPs) across Nigeria.

Enoh said this at the induction ceremony of the newly certified BDSPs organised by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) on Monday in Abuja.

According to the minister, the absence of a binding law is a major gap that must be urgently addressed to ensure service accountability and sustainability.

“There has to be a law that supports and backs BDSPs because of the importance of the job they are expected to do,” the minister said.

He said that while many systems exist within Nigeria’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, MSME support structure, the main challenge remained functionality and regulation.

“Our problem is not the absence of systems, it is the failure of those systems to work.

“Regulation is weak, and we tend to create new structures instead of strengthening existing ones,” he added.

The minister stressed that certified BDSPs must not only meet performance standards but be monitored regularly, with the possibility of license withdrawal if expectations were not met.

“Licenses must not be permanent. They must be performance-based,” he said.

Enoh also commended SMEDAN’s effort in standardising MSME support services across the country.

He called on stakeholders including development partners and financial institutions to engage certified BDSPs.

In his remarks, SMEDAN Director-General, Mr Charles Odii, reiterated the agency’s focus on deepening support for small businesses across the country.

Odii said this would be done by ensuring only qualified and credible professionals provide development services.

He urged the newly inducted BDSPs to take their role seriously.

The National Steering Committee on BDSPs disclosed that about 331 service providers were inducted following rigorous training and assessment.

The event marked a significant step in the government’s efforts to strengthen enterprise support structures and boost economic inclusion across the country. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma