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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Government on Tuesday intensified efforts to bolster the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector through enhanced agency teamwork, better funding channels and tech-focused incubation programmes, with officials forecasting up to 300,000 additional jobs if current trends hold.
After a high-level meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris highlighted the momentum during a media briefing. He described recent strides in MSMEs as “clear evidence that broad-based economic reforms are gaining traction.”
Idris said the gathering, which drew government leaders, development partners and business stakeholders, provided a full snapshot of active programmes and rising coordination among growth-focused bodies. He praised the Office of the Special Adviser on MSMEs for its “renewed coordination and visible enthusiasm among participants”, noting that the sector added roughly 250,000 jobs last year. Sustaining this pace could yield another 300,000 jobs, he said, modestly addressing national needs while advancing financial inclusion and broader economic participation.
The minister also noted growing international recognition of Nigeria’s reforms, including engagement with global lenders and improved credit ratings signalling investor confidence. He cited Nigeria’s rising profile in African business forums as proof of its drive for continent-wide sustainable growth.
Special Adviser to the President on MSMEs, Tola Adekunle-Johnson, reinforced the unity push, disclosing President Bola Tinubu’s directive that federal agencies align under one framework for faster job creation and easier small-business loans. Agencies such as the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) are now working “as a single team” to deliver results, he said.
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This teamwork should lower MSME loan rates, open new markets and simplify support, Adekunle-Johnson added. Last year’s combined efforts created 250,000 jobs, while state partnerships launched de-risking funds offering 9–10 per cent interest rates. The Vice President tasked SMEDAN with deeper state-level outreach for wider funding access, while NEPC is to expand export pathways for small firms.
SMEDAN Director-General Charles Odii emphasised cross-sector alliances to cut unemployment and empower entrepreneurs, insisting that “job creation cannot be achieved in isolation”. He said the agency is ramping up government–private partnerships, including recent National Assembly strategy sessions ahead of MSME policy updates.
Odii noted that Nigeria has about 39.6 million nano, micro, small and medium enterprises, with a fresh census underway to improve data accuracy and planning. For 2026, SMEDAN plans rollouts such as ITF-backed support for textile and fashion professionals — equipping select designers and tailors with N5 million setups each.
He also unveiled West Africa’s inaugural meta and digital fabrication centre in Lagos, scheduled for commissioning by the Vice President in April, with similar centres planned nationwide. These hubs will focus on local strengths—from timber in Edo and Ondo, ceramics in mineral-rich zones to leather in Kano—using digital tools to boost efficiency and competitiveness.
Odii linked the initiatives to the government’s private sector–led growth vision, stressing that programme graduates will be required to mentor others to cascade jobs and business expansion across communities.
