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By Agatha Emeadi
Stakeholders in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), including Dr Olubunmi Kole-Dauda, Founder, Naijapreneur.com, Tito Phillips, have called on the federal and state governments to create a more enabling environment for locally made products to thrive.
The call was made at a Business Engagement Forum and Press Conference for SMEs MINE FEST 2025, held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Centre, Alausa, Ikeja. They said that patronage and consumption of Made-in-Nigeria goods would not only boost the capacity of SMEs but also go a long way to achieve diversification of the economy.
The event, which brought together financial experts, bank representatives, and other critical stakeholders, aimed to foster dialogue on the emerging global economy. They used the occasion to call the government to create policies that would promote local production and support Nigerian businesses.
The event’s convener, Tito Philips, described MINE FEST 2025 as a movement dedicated to celebrating, empowering, and elevating Nigerian excellence. The initiative, he noted, aimed to showcase Nigerian products and promote local innovation globally.
According to Phillips, there is an urgent need for Nigeria to diversify the economy and promote local content to be relevant in the global economy. He said, “We can no longer rely solely on oil. For our economy to grow, we must shift towards supporting local industries and reducing dependency on foreign goods.”
He, therefore, called for a collective action, noting that “nation-building is a shared responsibility. We invite investors, policymakers, corporate leaders, media partners, and development agencies to join us—not as observers, but as active participants,” he added.
Philips said that the event would recognize 40 young entrepreneurs who had contributed to nation- building through innovation and enterprise.
He disclosed that MINE FEST 2025 would hold from October 16 to 17, as a three-in-one event comprising a conference, exhibition, and award ceremony for SMEs that are at least 40-year old. “We expect over 300 participants to attend physically, with more than 1,000 joining virtually,” he declared.
