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Tag: SMEDAN

  • SMEDAN launches climate and green energy desk

    SMEDAN launches climate and green energy desk

    The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has taken a significant step in the fight against the climate crisis by introducing the SMEDAN Climate and Green Energy Desk (SCGED).

    This ambitious initiative, introduced by the agency’s newly-appointed Director General, Mr. Charles Odii, aims to empower and support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) actively engaged in the development of clean energy solutions and other climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

    The urgency of this initiative cannot be overstated, as the climate crisis increasingly affects important sectors of Nigeria’s economy, most notably agriculture and sustainable power generation.

    A 2022 study conducted by the Centre for Climate Change and Development at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University in Ebonyi State raised a red flag, stating that Nigeria is already losing N100 billion to the effects of climate change and would lose as much as N460 billion by 2050 unless decisive action is taken. 

    The nation is already grappling with extreme weather events such as flooding, desertification, and erratic rainfall patterns which disproportionately affect small businesses in underserved communities.

    SCGED is set to play a pivotal role by fostering entrepreneurial innovations that address the pressing challenges posed by climate change. It will conduct thorough research and development to identify the specific obstacles encountered by SMEs in the climate entrepreneurship sector. 

    Additionally, it will establish a comprehensive database of SMEs operating in this field and provide them with training and capacity-building programs to enhance their skills and knowledge.

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    One of the cornerstones of SCEID is to offer funding support, helping SMEs tackling the climate crisis leverage both local and global funding opportunities. The initiative also plans to establish partnerships with global organizations to foster collaboration in delivering innovative solutions for environmental sustainability.

    Mr. Charles Odii, Director General of SMEDAN, said the SCEID initiative reflects the agency’s commitment to equipping Nigerian SMEs with the funding, skills and networks that channel local innovations to solve problems within Nigeria and for the world.

    Inga Stefanowicz, the Head of Section for Green and Digital Economy at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, who graced the event, lauded the initiative. She highlighted its alignment with the EU’s core priorities, particularly addressing climate challenges related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and economic diversification aimed at generating employment opportunities.

    Mr. Bitrus Lawrence Garki, the FCT Mandate Secretary, also attended the event and emphasized the government’s eagerness to collaborate with the Climate Change Desk. He expressed the government’s commitment to working with the desk to deliver sustainable solutions to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), particularly in areas crucial for fostering a business-friendly environment.

    Dr. Olawale Anifowose, the Managing Director of the Global Entrepreneurship Network in Nigeria, further underscored the event’s significance. He stressed the paramount importance of harnessing innovation in the green economy, recognizing it as a key driver for unlocking new growth opportunities in the country. 

    According to SMEDAN, climate entrepreneurs will play a key role in ensuring a sustainable future for the country as well as ignite fresh waves of economic growth through the creation of groundbreaking solutions in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable farming, waste management and recycling, robotics, and transportation among others.

    The initiative aligns with global efforts to address the pressing climate challenges that threaten our planet.

    The agency has urged climate entrepreneurs and SMEs to take advantage of this opportunity by registering for support on its dedicated website — www.smedan.gov.ng/SCGED

  • CAC, SON, SMEDAN, 11 others get new helmsmen

    CAC, SON, SMEDAN, 11 others get new helmsmen

    • Kashim Imam is new FERMA Board chair; Agbasi MD
    • Tinubu appoints Bayo Onanuga, Yakubu as SA, SSA

    President Bola Tinubu has approved 14  new appointments for heads of agencies under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

    According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu’s action took roots from his focus on establishing the nation’s economic survival on trade expansion, using the small, medium and large scale industries as springboard.

    The statement further noted that the appointments take immediate effect, even as it said that President Tinubu would expect optimal delivery by all the appointees as they settle down at their new tasks.

    Among the agencies welcoming new chief executives are the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), which now has Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN) as Registrar-General/Chief Executive Officer; and Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), now to be headed by Charles Odii as Director-General.

    “President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of new Chief Executive Officers of several agencies and parastatals under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, in line with his resolve to base Nigeria’s economic revival on the foundation of trade expansion through small, medium and large scale industry facilitation in the country:

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    “Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) — Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN; Industrial Training Fund (ITF) — Afiz Ogun Oluwatoyin: National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) — Kamar Bakrin; Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA) — Olufemi Ogunyemi; Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) — Nonye Ayeni.

    “Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) — Aisha Rimi; Oil & Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA) — Bamanga Usman Jada; Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) — Charles Odii; Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) — Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke.

    “Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) — Rabiu Olowo; Nigeria Commodities Exchange (NCE) — Anthony Atuche, CFA; Lagos International Trade Fair Complex (LITFCMB) — Veronica Safiya Ndanusa; Tafawa Balewa Square Management Board (TBSMB) — Lucia Shittu; National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) — Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin.

    Also yesterday, President Tinubu appointed Mr Bayo Onanuga, as his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy and Ms. Delu Bulus Yakubu, as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation,

    Ngelale said the appointments  would be focusing on prioritizing effective synergy between the Presidency and the federal ministries.

    “As part of efforts to prioritize effective and efficient working synergy between the Presidency and Federal Ministries, President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointments of professionals who have prior working experience within the architecture of the Federal Ministries they will be coordinating with, in addition to duties that will be carried out at the President’s discretion:

    “Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy — Mr. Bayo Onanuga and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation — Ms. Delu Bulus Yakubu.

    “The President wishes the new presidential aides well in the discharge of their duties,” Ngelale said in a statement.

     In a related development, President Bola Tinubu also yesterday  approved the appointment of the Board and Management of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), selecting Engr. Imam Ibrahim Kashim Imam as its Chairman.

    A separate  statement on the appointment by Ngelale said:  “President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of the Governing Board and Management team of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) for a renewable term of four (4) years, in accordance with Section 2(3) of the FERMA Amendment Act, 2007: “Chairman of FERMA Board — Engr. Imam Ibrahim Kashim Imam; Managing Director of FERMA — Engr. Chukwuemeka Agbasi; Member (NARTO) — Yusuf Lawal Othman; Member (FMW) — Engr. Ibi Terna Manasseh; Member (FRSC) — ACM Shehu Mohammed; Member (Finance) — Babatunde Daramola-Oniru; Member (South-South) — Hon. Preye Oseke.

    “Member (South-West) — Hon. Oye Ojobe; Member (South-East) — Dr. Kenneth Ugbala; Member (North-Central) — Sen. Timothy Adudu; Member (North-East) — Engr. Abubakar Bappa; Member (North-West) — Aminu Adamu Papa.

  • SMEDAN signs MOU with MFBs

    The Director-General (DG) of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, (SMEDAN), Dr Dikko Umar Radda, on Saturday, in Kano, said the agency has concluded plans to provide a suitable platform, through which small and medium enterprises can access funds, meant at developing the sector.

    Radda stated this during the official signing ceremony of the memorandum of agreement between SMEDAN, microfinance banks and cooperative societies in the north-west geo-political zone under its one local government, one product (OLOP) initiative, held in Kano.

    He said one of the major challenges that threatened the development of micro and small businesses was due to stringent measures introduced by the apex bank, hence SMEDAN was working assiduously in providing an enduring solution to the challenge.

    Dikko said SMEDAN has introduced a programme titled one local government, one product, targeted at identifying a common product in a local government, aimed at guiding them to form organic clusters and enhance their capacity on how to move their businesses forward.

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    The DG maintained that the issue of interest on loan accessed by small and medium business entrepreneurs was one of the major challenges that hampers the development of the sector.

    According to him, in order to address the challenges, SMEDAN has initiated a debt settlement policy where 30 per cent of the accessed loan would be settled by SMEDAN and the remaining 70 per cent would be settled by the small scale entrepreneurs, aimed at improving the nation’s economy.

    The zonal coordinator of SMEDAN in Kano, Alhaji Ahmad Mohammad Madaki, said the one local government, one product programme was an initiative of SMEDAN.

    He said the intervention being offered by SMEDAN includes workplace, working capital and machinery.

    Madaki, therefore, urged small and medium entrepreneurs in the country to embrace the programme, with the goal of achieving the desired objectives.

    The ceremony was graced by small and medium entrepreneurs from the north-western part of the country.

  • SMEDAN adopts MSMEs Marketplace Database Initiative

    The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Association of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has embraced Comprehensive MSMEs Marketplace Database Initiative.

    SMEDAN Director-General, Dikko Radda, explained that the move is in line with the agency’s commitment to redesign and restructure how  Micro Small and  Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) data are generated and used in Nigeria.

    Speaking yesterday during  at the opening of a stakeholders Forum on the Comprehensive MSMEs Marketplace Database Project in Abuja, Radda who was represented by  Director Planning Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Wale Fasanya, noted that the initiative seeks to generate a more reliable and ‘structured’ database for better planning  by relevant stakeholders within the SME ecosystem.

    The plan will also help in developing a standardized data capturing format or framework that will guide all SMEs-related surveys or census.

    Radda said the initiative would also  enable demand-driven relationships and match-making between SMEs and Large Enterprises (LEs) as well as enable better and more specific MSMEs listing by sector, location, input requirements, products and services, output, financing gaps and so on.

    According to him, other deliverables of this initiative  will be to fast-track market linkages and cooperation amongst MSMEs, Large Enterprises, investors (both public and private entities) and ensure better enterprise and stakeholders cooperation, enhance regulatory oversight as congruent with the vision of the agency.

    Radda further said the exercise will help the agency to establish standard benchmarks that would facilitate the profiling and mainstreaming of Nigerian SMEs into the Global SME Community

  • ‘Unemployment has reached critical level’

    The Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN), Dr Dikko Umaru Radda, has said only one of every 100 graduates gets a job.

    He said if the situation was not properly addressed with effective job creation programmes, civil, social and political upheavals might occur.

    The SMEDAN boss noted that the global population of youths between 15 and 24 was on the rise, with the majority of that group living in emerging economies like Nigeria’s; hence, the need to properly manage the group to yield dividends.

    Radda, who stated this in Kaduna, while kicking-off the sensitisation programme on Young Business Owners in Nigeria (Y-BON), however, said, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) would boost economic diversification and employ more youths.

    According to the DG, represented  by the Northwest Zonal Coordinator of SMEDAN, Alhaji Ahmad Muhammad Madaki, one of the major causes of unemployment in  the country is skill shortage occasioned by dearth of skilled personnel and entrepreneurial competence, among others.

    He said: “There is no doubt that unemployment situation in Nigeria has reached a crisis level. Statistics have shown that only one out of every 100 graduates is assured of getting a job in Nigeria.

    “It is towards addressing this challenge that the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN) has initiated the Young Business Owners in Nigeria (Y-BON) programme, to provide a platform where existing entrepreneurs, either as standalone or cooperative societies, will be competitively selected for further support packages, to reduce some of the fundamental challenges that usual confront MSMEs.”

  • SMEDAN kicks off talent hunt with 185 participants

    THE Small and Medium Enter-prises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has started its talent hunt aimed at not only tackling unemployment but also assisting winners secure affordable finance for their projects.

    It said the unemployment rate rose from 17.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2017 to 20.9 million in third quarters of last year.

    In a statement, SMEDAN said the programme is aimed at searching for these individuals and integrating them in productive activities. It will also convert the ideas and opportunities into real ventures and link participants to affordable sources of finance and viability.

    It explained that to support the youth, it initiated the programme to discover hidden talents to identify and showcase innovative ideas in fashion, arts and crafts. This, it said, is geared towards employment generation, wealth creation and self-reliance, thereby reducing poverty among youths.

    “It is a complete handholding project from identification, selection, to start-up with enterprise support opportunity and linkage to innovation hubs, facilitating necessary linkages and visibility,” it said.

    Brilliant and innovative ideas in fashion, arts and craft will be shortlisted by a panel during the Pitching/Demonstration in Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Gombe and Kaduna states.

    The 185 participants will be reduced to 74. The selected participants will be treated to Business Development Services (BDS) support and visibility.

    The pitching/demo is scheduled to hold as follows: Akwa Ibom and Kaduna states will be from April 1 to 5 and Enugu and Gombe states April 15 to 19.

    The statement added: ”There are a lot of young Nigerians with innovative business talents, but limited with opportunities to express/showcase them or take action towards the conception. These individuals are scattered across Nigeria and are willing to contribute in their way towards the development of the country.

    “Most importantly, the undergraduates, graduates unemployed youths and adults who can contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation are critical in fostering strategic youth development and nation building.

    “The programme is to stimulate growth and sustenance of the micro and small enterprises among youths in Nigeria placing emphasis on available resources, ideal, skills, raw materials, appropriate technology, markets, etc.

    “The talent hunt is aimed at improving creativity and self-discovery, which help many creative people in Nigeria to discover themselves when they do not know they are creative. The creative attitude in many Nigerians can be developed through mentoring. People, especially the youth, should have mentors who will direct them in certain things about life.

     

  • SMEDAN hails Osun for supporting small businesses

    Director-General of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) Mr. Umar Dikko has hailed Osun State for creating an enabling environment for small businesses to thrive.

    Speaking at the 2019 Osun Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise opportunities open fair in Osogbo, the director-general said Osun State government with upgrade of infrastructure had made businesses easy to operate and has allowed SMEs to grow rapidly.

    Umar, who was represented by the agency’s Director, Enterprise and Development Promotion, Mr. Elvans Monday, explained that the major priority of SMEDAN is to promote “made in Nigeria products and services” as well as enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs.

    He said Osun State government has done tremendously well in making SMEs to thrive.

    He said: “The agency is positioned as a ‘One Stop Shop’ for growing and resuscitating micro, small and medium enterprises in the country and we must commend the state government of Osun for having done much in this regard.

    “Our job in Osun has been made so easy because of the efforts of the state government, especially on the creation of an enabling environment, which has helped small businesses to grow.”

    In his keynote address, Governor Gboyega Oyetola, who opened the five-day fair tagged, “Expanding Market Frontiers for MSMES”, expressed his administration’s readiness to keep supporting the growth of  medium and small scale businesses.

    He said doing so would boost the state’s economy.

    The governor, who was represented at the event by the Supervisor for Finance, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, described Osun economy as one dominated by the informal sector.

    The governor said he was delighted at the impressive attendance of participants at the fair, noting that event would positively impact on lives of many Osun business operators.

    He hailed SMEDAN for performing “tremendously well” since it was created, acknowledging that the agency’s many programmes have touched  millions of lives across Nigeria.

    The governor said the SMEDAN’s performance was a testament of its achievements in stimulating and developing MSMEs across the country.

  • Anambra, SMEDAN to train entrepreneurs on sanitary wares

    Anambra State Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) has said it would engage Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN) in the training of entrepreneurs on the construction and sale of affordable toilet facilities in various communities of the state.

    The state Water and Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) consultant, Mr. Clement Chigbo made the disclosure in a chat with The Nation, during a two-day workshop on institutional triggering and sensitisation meeting for stakeholders in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

    He said the training which is in conjunction with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) would involve Toilet Business Owners, those into building slabs, production and sale of sanitary wares.

    Chigbo explained that the decision to engage specialists in sanitary wares was to ease the difficulties people encounter in the construction of toilet facilities, especially in water-prone terrains.

    He regretted that some houses, particularly in the rural areas lack toilet facilities, which he said, had been a major setback to the attainment of Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in those areas.

    “It’s obvious that everyone excretes and as such has need for toilet, either in the home, school, worship center, market, or business areas.

    “We’re promoting this concept of toilet business to get people interested in investing in latrine business because research has proven it to be a lucrative business,” he said.

    According to the consultant, the training session, which would also involve artisans like masons would afford participants opportunity to learn how to construct latrines especially in peculiar terrains.

    He said, “We’re trying to groom people to develop the interest to invest in the business. There are different types of toilets which people can chose to construct depending on their pockets.

    “Some communities have terrains that are waterlogged which make it difficult to construct toilets there. Some of the toilets constructed these were washed away by flood.

    “With the training, they would be exposed to the kinds of materials that can withstand the harsh weather conditions which is a major factor that discourages people from erecting toilets in those areas.”

  • SMEDAN unveils Conditional Grant Scheme for micro enterprises

    The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN) yesterday launched the Conditional Grant Scheme for micro enterprises in Nigeria. The scheme is expected to lift the sub-sector, making it more efficient and financially viable.

    Speaking yesterday at the launch of the scheme in Lagos, Director-General, SMEDAN, Dikko Radda,  said the micro enterprises sub-sector is a critical sub-sector in the Nigerian enterprise development space.

    He said the sector collectively account for a majority of the enterprises in Nigeria and also account for the highest number of jobs created in the economy. The findings in the National MSMEs survey of 2010 and 2013 revealed that micro enterprises represent 99.87 per cent (17,261,753) and 99.80 per cent (36,994,578) of total enterprises respectively.

    “In terms of employment, the total number of persons employed by micro enterprises in 2010 was 15,641,460 (representing 90.41 per cent of total number of employed persons). In 2013, the total number of persons employed by micro enterprises was 57,836,391 (representing 96.88 per cent of total number of persons employed). “However, it is important to note that over 90 per cent of the micro enterprises are informal and populated by people at the bottom of the pyramid. Hence, the need for the Agency to conceptualize a flagship programme referred to as Conditional Grant Scheme for micro enterprises in Nigeria,” he said.

    According to Radda, the justification for a special entrepreneurship/vocational development intervention for the entrepreneurs at the bottom of the pyramid cannot be overemphasized based on the need to graduate informal enterprises to the formal sector, industrialize the nation, develop the rural economy, stem youth restiveness and unemployment and create the platform for sustainable economic growth and development in Nigeria.

    “This present initiative (Conditional Grant Scheme) looks to promoting the activities of micro enterprises across the country in the areas of capacity building and the delivery of post-intervention support services such as access to finance (conditional grants), markets, workspace, technology, among others”.

  • NEXIM, SMEDAN to promote SMEs’ exporters

    The Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM)  and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) are collaborating to promote exports by the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

    To guarantee this collaboration, both agencies have has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect.

    A statement from NEXIM said: “The MoU was aimed at promoting synergy between the two institutions towards capacity building of Nigerian SMEs to boost their contributions to exports and enhance formal trade.”

    It is also expected that “such capacity building efforts will help the SMEs to implement the required corporate structures, which will position them to benefit more from government incentives towards increasing their productivity, thus promoting economic diversification and inclusive growth in line with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of the current administration.”

    Specifically, the MoU states that the two institutions shall jointly ensure that more Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) benefit from the African Growth & Opportunity Act (AGOA) initiatives of the United States of America.

    Both institutions will also promote technical capacity of MSMEs through workshops in the six geopolitical zones of the country and also identify export ready entrepreneurs for possible funding.