NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
SMEDAN creates 90,000 jobs in Q1 2025

SMEDAN creates 90,000 jobs in Q1 2025

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By Lucy Ogalue

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) says it created more than 90,160 jobs and empowered 116,661 entrepreneurs across the country in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025.

Mr Charles Odii, Director-General of SMEDAN, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, noting that the figures were contained in the agency’s Q1 performance report.

Odii attributed the achievements to targeted empowerment programmes and strategic collaborations with stakeholders in both the public and private sectors.

He said SMEDAN partnered with organisations such as Google, Wema Bank, and members of the National Assembly to train entrepreneurs in digital and financial literacy.

The partnerships, he said, also facilitated access to finance, markets, and essential tools for small businesses.

“SMEDAN also supported the formalisation of thousands of small businesses by assisting them with registration through the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), thereby enhancing their chances of accessing funding and participating in supply chains.

“In Q1 alone, we distributed 123,743 work tools, including laptops, mini-buses, industrial sewing machines, generators, and tricycles, to entrepreneurs in all 36 states,” Odii said.

He also highlighted the success of the SMEDAN Garment and Textile Hub at the Idu Industrial Development Centre in Abuja, which he described as a model for inclusive industrial development.

“The solar-powered hub, made possible through a partnership with the UNDP, enables fashion entrepreneurs to access affordable industrial machines and stable power supply, thereby increasing productivity and job creation.”

Odii reiterated the agency’s commitment to the “GROW Nigerian” strategy, focusing on Guidance, Resources, Opportunities, and Workforce support for SMEs.

“The result is more jobs, stronger businesses, and greater value unlocked within communities nationwide,” he added.

He noted that several strategic partnerships signed during the review period would begin to yield results in subsequent quarters, especially in areas like financing and value chain development.

Odii reaffirmed SMEDAN’s alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, stressing that the agency remained committed to supporting MSMEs as drivers of inclusive economic growth. (NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

Nigeria Customs to partner with entrepreneurs in recycling used tyres

Nigeria Customs to partner with entrepreneurs in recycling used tyres

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By Martha Agas

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it is partnering with indigenous entrepreneurs focused on recycling used tyres as part of its contribution to promoting environmental sustainability.

The Comptroller-General of NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, stated this at the official inauguration of the NCS’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Unit, Customs Cares, at the Government Secondary School (GSS) Wuse, Zone 3 Abuja, on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NCS recently established its CSR Unit, Customs Cares, to spearhead programmes aimed at supporting the eight presidential priority areas and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Adeniyi said that environmental sustainability forms the fourth pillar of its CSR initiative and remains a cornerstone of the approach.

“As you might know, used tyres form the majority of our seizures in different areas of operations. Under this initiative, we will transform potentially harmful waste materials into useful items such as sandals, school bags and ties.

“I am happy to announce that some of the products from these disciplined efforts are those we will be presenting to our school children today.

“These recycled products will be strategically redistributed under our educational support programmes.

“It will be utilised in our rehabilitation works, creating a circular economy that addresses environmental challenges while supporting both our educational and infrastructure development goals,” he said.

The initiative, he said, would drive tree-planting activities designed to create a greener and safer environment for the present and future generations.

He explained that the CSR was focusing on six key pillars comprising education, healthcare, social investments, environmental sustainability, food security and the creative economy.

The C-G said that under the healthcare module, the initiative plans to conduct medical outreaches, deploy mobile clinics, and implement anti-malaria campaigns to improve community health standards, particularly in underserved areas of its operations.

Adeniyi said custom social investment would initiate water borehole projects, support electricity infrastructure development, and facilitate skills acquisition programmes to enhance community livelihoods and promote economic self-sufficiency in its areas of operation.

“We will leverage the facility already established by the Customs Officers` Wives Association (COWA).

“This is the skill acquisition centre in Karu, to take care of members of our community in FCT and Nasarawa to come and learn some basic skills to keep them going,” he said.

He said that the initiative in driving food security would support agricultural extension services, coordinate food donations during emergencies, and improve market access for farmers to enhance the agricultural value chain across its operational areas.

According to him, the initiative will invest in the creative economy through targeted capacity building, equipment support, and talent development initiatives aimed at nurturing the vibrant creative sector.

He said the initiative’s first pillar, education, was demonstrated at its official inauguration at GSS Wuse Zone 3, symbolising the NCS’s commitment to investing in the nation’s future through educational support and infrastructure development.

“Our educational support programme includes adopting schools in areas of our operation following thorough selection criteria, conducting comprehensive needs assessments to identify gaps, and jointly prioritising interventions in collaboration with relevant authorities.

“We provide learning materials, rehabilitate critical infrastructure, and offer scholarships to promote academic excellence and ensure no deserving student is left behind due to financial constraints,” he said.

NAN reports that during the inauguration, learning aids, including books, school bags, and writing materials, were distributed to 1,300 students in the school.

NAN also reports that CCTV cameras and solar-powered streetlights were installed to enhance safety on the premises. (NAN)

Edited by Peter Amine

ECOWAS-MSME  collaboration excites regional entrepreneurs 

ECOWAS-MSME collaboration excites regional entrepreneurs 

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By Mark Longyen

West African entrepreneurs under the aegis of ECOWAS Small Business Coalition(ESBC) say their collaboration with ECOWAS is crucial to achieving individual, group and subregional economic integration goals.

 

The entrepreneurs spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of ESBC’s inaugural exhibition and workshop in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

 

According to them, collaboration will ensure positive interface between the ECOWAS body and entrepreneur towards meeting regional and global standards and practices in their businesses.

Mrs Amina Suleiman, CEO, MINALADI Enterprises, a Nigerian fashion designer and manufacturer, who was appointed an ESBC Ambassador, said that collaboration was their strength.

 

“That coming together, uniting, forming a coalition, is helping the SMEs to grow and I believe there’s going to be so many millionaires emerging from this event.

 

“I’ve learned a lot; from the lectures to meeting different African countries to understand that there’s actually unity when it comes to Africans coming together. We keep getting stronger when we are together.

 

“The programme is like an eye-opener for me. I’ve seen so many hardworking people. I’ve seen people that I’ve learned from and I’ll keep learning,” she said.

Mrs Sylviane Kone, from Ivory Coast, a former ECOWAS Director, Human Resources, now Managing Director, AGS Group, an Abidjan-based food processing consultancy firm, stressed the need for the entrepreneurs to collaborate.

 

She said that the essence of ESBC was to facilitate economic integration by harmonising the processing of MSMEs’ goods to produce standard products.

 

“We have to be one, we have to standardise our products if we want competitiveness.

 

“Africa with all the 15 member states of ECOWAS, like Mali are here, Niger, Burkina Faso are also here.

 

“We have to have a strong Africa. We can even export from our 15 member states. This is how we can achieve the goal of success in Africa,” she said.

 

Mahamadou Kinta, CEO, Kinta Enterprises and President, SMEs coalition in Mali, said the event was an opportunity to bring West African entrepreneurs together to agree on business models that would culminate in growing their economies.

 

Kinta noted that Mali was currently facing serious security challenges, which inhibits the free movement of goods and people, stressing that such was inimical to economic integration.

 

He urged ECOWAS and the African Union to resolve the issues because they could block the process of subregional integration.

 

“This event is about strengthening businesses in our region, so we have to come together. That’s why we appreciate this initiative coming from ECOWAS so much.

 

“We have this problem in our country, our goods and people cannot travel freely because they have so many troubles in the borders.

 

“I think this is like a tool to make all the small businesses of our countries come together to empower their businesses to grow faster and move the continent very fast,” he said.

 

Mrs Assetou Djibo, an entrepreneur from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, said collaboration among ESBC members was crucial to boosting their economic growth and achieving the objectives of ECOWAS economic integration.

 

“We are here to take action to fight against the forces inhibiting the growth of SMEs in West Africa.

 

“Collaboration among our members is critical to achieving the ECOWAS goal of economic integration,” she said.

For Dr Ebiekure Eradiri, President of the All Africa Association of MSMEs, said standardisation of MSME products by ensuring that they are “concurrent, uniform and acceptable” across the subregion, was key to the ESBCs success.

 

“While we appreciate the efforts and the inputs, standardisation is key.

 

“So, for businesses where SMEs are able to engage products across the West African region, we must be sure that our standards are concurrent, uniform and acceptable among ourselves.

 

“What you make of your goods for it to be acceptable in another country in West Africa is dependent on the rules and regulations of that country and we are saying that we must also think about a universal framework,” he said.

 

Ms Loido Monteiro from Cape Verde, CEO, Smart Cities Project, and ESBC Vice President, said the coalition aimed at collaborating to bring their products to new markets within ECOWAS and the world.

 

She said that through partnerships with other companies, they would grow their markets and companies, create jobs and produce ECOWAS’ future millionaires.

 

“We already have some products that we are ready to sell and we have countries that want to buy, so we are in a good state.

 

“While we have challenges of transport, and finance, we believe if we are together we can resolve these challenges and do business together, with ECOWAS’ support,” she said.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

ECOWAS entrepreneurs seek railway corridor

ECOWAS entrepreneurs seek railway corridor

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Participants at the ECOWAS Small Business Coalition (ESBC) workshop/exhibition in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.(NAN)

 

 

By Mark Longyen

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) under the aegis of ECOWAS Small Business Coalition (ESBC), have proposed the creation of a railway corridor connecting all ECOWAS countries, in addition to the existing road network.

 

They made the call at the end of their inaugural exhibition and workshop which held from Nov. 21 to Nov. 23, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

 

The event was organised by ESBC, in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission and Ivory Coast’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The coalition noted the difficulties that the small business operators face in transporting their goods and services between and among member states and emphasised the need for improved communication about cross-border trade obligations.

 

It, however, notes the clarification by ECOWAS that the movement of goods and people within the subregion is free in line with existing protocols but is not exempt from formalities and customs duties.

 

The coalition also proposed solutions to the challenges of transporting the SME’s goods to include the need to end cross-border harassment and corruption due to unnecessary “taxes.”

Members also proposed the empowering of local SBCs to enable them issue certificates of origin to entrepreneurs, as well as the establishing of online training sessions for their capacity building.

 

The coalition also proposed the creation of a railway corridor connecting all ECOWAS countries, in addition to the existing road network.

 

According to the coalition, access to information is key to SMEs’s success, hence, the need to raise awareness, adding that they should leverage the recently unveiled African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and ECOWAS policies.

 

It also emphasised the need for the harmonisation of fiscal rule across ECOWAS, as well as the need for SMEs to choose appropriate business models and consulting advisory firms.

 

The report notes that much remains to be done to improve competitiveness through innovation and sustainability to push SMEs beyond borders, while proposing training them on certification, efficient technology transfer and increasing research.

The coalition further noted that financing was at the core of SMEs’ challenges because while financing mechanisms are in place, SMEs’ absorption capacities are difficult, as many are ill-equipped to leverage these mechanisms.

 

They, therefore, proposed to focus on promoting innovation and new business models that would fit African realities, such as reimagining economic development models and learning from BRICS approaches.

 

The group also proposed the establishing of an ESBC television; a bank for SME financing; the designing of strategies to encourage the creation of a common currency; and lifting of customs and monetary barriers.

 

The coalition also proposed the creation of international shipping lines, establishing clear legislation or regulations applicable to all ECOWAS states, as well as facilitating access to ports for landlocked countries.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

edited by Sadiya Hamza

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