By Felicia Imohimi
The International Trade Facilitators Association (ITFA), has trained more than 500 non-governmental organisations and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), on sustainable trade transformation.
The training was carried out under the organisation’s flagship initiative: “Support to Potential and Established Nature-Positive Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria (SPENM).”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from the Global Environment Facility’s Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP).
Mr Collins Ezeiruaku, Trade Ambassador at ITFA in an interview with NAN in Abuja, described the initiative as a strategic intersection of commerce and conservation.
“We are empowering organisations to operate ethically, source responsibly and build resilience beyond catalytic funding.
“More than 470 institutions including civil society groups and community-based organisations were targeted, with many now commercialising nature-positive projects.
“The SPENM project is more than a capacity-building exercise it is a blueprint for post-grant sustainability, ethical sourcing and environmental stewardship.
“By equipping grassroots organisations with tools for traceability, financial management and market access, ITFA is positioning local enterprises to thrive beyond donor dependency and compete in global value-chains,” he said.
Ezeiruaku emphasised that the resources provided through GEF-SGP are not just instructional, but transformational.
According to him, these are blueprints for sustainable impact in Nigeria’s evolving trade landscape and building capacity for global competitiveness.
Mrs Okiemute Olori, a coach and consultant on the SPENM project, underscored the importance of future-proofing local enterprises.
“We are helping MSMEs think globally to get certified, build credibility and compete effectively in international markets,” she said.
Dr Abel Owotemu, Technical Adviser to ITFA who led a session on integrating sustainability into business strategy using the Business/Mission Model Canvas, said the approach centred on triple bottom line tagged “People, Planet and Profits.
Owotemu said that the aim was to guide MSMEs to shift from profit-only or NGO-only mindsets to impact-driven models that would make a real difference in the society.
Mrs Ibironke Olubamise, National Coordinator of the UNDP GEF-SGP, identified SPENM as a catalyst for long-term transformation.
She emphasised that GEF is more than a funding mechanism, but an investment in local capacity, institutional integration and revenue-generating models.
“We are laying the groundwork for environmental and economic resilience that endures beyond the life of any single project.
“This initiative signals a new era for Nigeria’s MSME ecosystem, one where sustainability is not a side note, but a strategic imperative.
“For global agencies seeking scalable models of inclusive green growth, SPENM offers a compelling case study on how trade, training and transformation can converge to build a better future,” she said.(NAN)
Edited by Francis Onyeukwu
