The Nation Newspaper

Tag: SMEDAN

  • SMEDAN, NPC to partner

    The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SME-DAN) is to partner  the National Productivity Centre (NPC) to enhance small amd medium scale enterprises (SMEs) output.

    In a statement in Abuja SMEDAN’s Assistant Chief Information Officer, Ibrahim Mohammed, said the collaboration was borne out of an urgent need to develop strategies to ensure that problems associated with productivity potential of (SMEs) were addressed.

    It described SMEs as the engine of growth of the economy, saying they have the potential for job creation and could contribute greatly to Gross Domestic product (GDP) of a nation.

    The statement said that SMEs in Nigeria were constrained by several challenges that limited their impact in the country’s economic development.

    “Such challenges include, but are not limited to weak operating capacities in terms of skill, knowledge and attitudes, lack of infrastructure, reliance on obsolete technology and low market access.   “Others are poor access to credit, poor information flow, weak networking among operators in the segment, lack of safeguards against occupational health and environmental hazards and discriminatory legislation.’’

    The statement said that SMEDAN was saddled with the responsibility of developing and promoting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria.

    It said that SMEDAN had the compelling role of building synergies with other agencies to tackle most of the challenges bedeviling the sector.

    “In view of this, SMEDAN, in collaboration with the NPC, is organising a two-day National workshop tagged Work Place Challenge in the Nigerian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector’’.

    The workshop, according to the statement, is slated for May 8 and 9, 2013 at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Conference and Exhibition Centre in Ikeja. The statement said that the objectives of the two-day workshop included identifying workplace transformation challenges, identifying appropriate productivity improvement tools and techniques for workplace transformation.

    The seminar is also to develop Best Operating Practices (BOP) for Nigerian SMEs and train participants to become workplace environment managers.

  • SMEDAN DG bags award

    The Director-General of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Alhaji Muhammad Nadada Umar, has been conferred with Verbatim Magazine Award of Excellence for enhancing the economic empowerment in the MSME sector.

    The event was held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

    Umar dedicated the award to the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga; the Minister of State, Trade and Investment, Dr. Sam Ortom and the SMEDAN management, staff and his family.

    He praised the management and staff of Verbatim Magazine for the award, adding the media has a great role to play in nation building. He advised the journalists to take more active interest in politics, adding that it would enhance the development of the profession.

  • SMEDAN, Oyo, Niger partner on indigenous products

    The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN) said it would partner with Oyo and Niger states to develop indigenous products.

    Head of Southwest Zone of SMEDAN, Mr Gbenga Ogundeji, said the partnership was based on the agency’s “One Local Government, One Product’’ initiative.

    He described that the initiative is a process whereby councils could be identified by the indigenous products they had comparative advantage to produce.

    According to him, the initiative is being supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

    He said research on durable industrial products in Oyo and Niger states had begun.

    Ogundeji also said SMEDAN had discovered two local governments in states where the recruitment of entrepreneurs would begin.

    “SMEDAN is working hard to ensure the implementation of the initiative in all the states.

    “At present, we are working with Oyo and Niger states to get products in which they have great capacity to produce.

    “By the time the research on each state is completed, it would provide a branding and mass production of a product of their choice and capacity by each local government,’’ he said.

    Ogundeji said: “With this, there would be more number of employed youths and business owners empowered by SMEDAN in the states.’’

    He said the partnership with the states would boost the production, processing and packaging of the goods since they were mostly agricultural products like cassava.

    Ogundeji assured that the packaging of the products would be done to meet international standards for exports.

    Director-General, SMEDAN, Mr Muhammad Umar, said the programme would revitalise the economy through the establishment of businesses in the rural areas based on comparative advantages.

     

  • SMEs way out of challenges, says SMEDAN boss

    SMEs way out of challenges, says SMEDAN boss

    The Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Alhaji Mohammed Umar, has said Nigeria’s security and unemployment challenges could be addressed with small businesses.

    Umar spoke in Jos, Plateau State, at the presentation of the findings of the Enterprise Baseline Survey (EBS) 2012 Report.

    He said the problems were caused by population growth not matched by developemnt in other sectors ofthe economy.

    “The gap between population explosion and small medium scale businesses accounts for the crises we are experiencing.

    “Check every nation today, the small businesses sub-sector is the most important one. If it develops, the nation develops.’’

    The SMEDAN boss expressed worry that much of the country’s developmental efforts were geared toward political development at the expense of the economy.

    “The country’s development has been concentrated on political development to the extent that one can say that we have over-developed politically which has landed us into crises.

    “We should have given more attention to the economy, and in particular, small businesses.

    “No society can control the effects of population explosion if it has no small businesses to engage the youths.’’

    Umar said, however, that all hope was not lost as President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda had reawakened the sub-sector for SMEs to thrive.

    He said the EBS, powered by German International Cooperation (GIZ) was aimed at providing a direction towards developing the SMEs.

    Umar also advised the Plateau government to make the best use of the survey to develop its private sector.”GIZ has conducted a detailed survey on SMEs. Plateau has a reliable data and should use it to plan. We (SMEDAN), are prepared and willing to work with the state for the development of the small businesses.’’

    Umar recalled that Jos, the Plateau capital, used to be the commercial hub of the north in 70s and challenged the state government to restore that lost glory.

    Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang, who was represented by Prof. Shedrach Best, the Secretary to the state government, said the state would welcome efforts that would make the private sector succeed.

    “The focus of this programme is to support the Plateau government in the area governance, gender and the provision of enabling environment for private sector development.”

    We are prepared to make the most of it,’’ he said.

    He said that the Plateau Government was proud to be part of any initiative that was driven by GIZ as they had been partners for long.

    The governor declared that Plateau was safe for business and urged interested investors to come to the state as permanent peace had returned.

  • SMEDAN, others plan mechanic business clusters

    THE Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), National Automotive Council (NAC), the Lady Mechanic Initiative (LMI) and other stakeholders have begun talks on establishing world-class auto-mechanic business clusters, equipped with modern technologies.

    A statement from the Assistant Director (Corporate Affairs) of SMEDAN, Levi Anyikpa, said the mechanic clusters are expected to employ hundreds of thousands of male and female technicians in auto repairs and maintenance.

    According to the arrangement, SMEDAN would make available some of her Industrial Development Centres (IDCs) scattered across the country, provide entrepreneurship training, provide access to working capital and mentoring services to the prospective beneficiaries.

    It said the National Automotive Council (NAC) and the Lady Mechanic Initiative (LMI) which already have some strategic sponsors and partners, are expected to provide the qualitative technical training to existing and prospective auto mechanics using ultra-modern technologies and facilitating the procurement of start-up technologies for the trainees.

    Expected to be part of the collaboration are organisations such as; Nigerian Bottling Company, MTN Foundation, Peugeot, Tata, Honda, Mitsubishi, Global Fund for Women, Toyota Nigeria, RT Briscoe, federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), state governments, Foreign Embassies in Nigeria among others.

    Speaking in Abuja during a visit by the Founder/Executive Director of Lady Mechanic Initiative , Mrs Sandra Aguebor-Ekperuoh, the Director-General of SMEDAN, Muhammad Nadada Umar, noted that for small and medium enterprises to achieve their optimal potentials in Nigeria, technological advancement must be embraced to full capacity.

    He said the entrepreneurial opportunities that abound in the field of auto repair and maintenance should be exploited by all those involved in the business as there are so many potentials for development and job creation in the sector.