Shettima’s Office To Facilitate Empowerment Of 1.3m Nigerian MSMEs In 17 States, FCT (SEE LIST OF STATES)

Shettima’s Office To Facilitate Empowerment Of 1.3m Nigerian MSMEs In 17 States, FCT (SEE LIST OF STATES)

A consortium of partners in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector is poised to implement a range of MSME-focused initiatives, benefiting 1.3 million individuals across 17 States and the FCT.

Olusola Abiola, the Director of Information at the Office of the Vice President, disclosed this in a statement released on Tuesday in Abuja.

Mr. Abiola stated that these MSME interventions are part of their commitment to augment the Federal Government’s efforts in enhancing the economy and generating more employment opportunities.

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He added that the MSME and Job Creation Unit of the Vice President’s Office, overseeing the initiatives, revealed that they are designed to uphold the realization of the administration’s dedication to job creation.

The director also emphasized that these interventions are anticipated to play pivotal roles in the Federal Government’s economic diversification, with MSMEs at the forefront.

Abiola highlighted that the initiatives, to be implemented in 17 states and the FCT, include shared centers for MSMEs equipped with 300kva Solar Panels and mini-grids for four markets. This initiative will provide six Fashion Hubs and two Furniture Clusters with eight hours of daily electricity.

He remarked, “Other interventions include car painting/drying hubs and cold rooms for seafood storage, among others. In line with Vice President Kashim Shettima’s directive for the swift execution of the projects, five of the interventions will be completed and delivered by December 2023. Twelve other interventions are scheduled for completion before December 2024.

“The states set to benefit from the interventions include Abia, Rivers, Jigawa, Benue, Borno, Lagos, Ekiti, Niger, Sokoto, Enugu, Gombe, Akwa Ibom, Yobe, Ondo, Osun, Bayelsa, Imo, and FCT.”

He added that key partners working with the Office of the Vice President to implement these initiatives encompass Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Industrial Training Fund (ITF), National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Bank of Industry (BOI), Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Bank of Agriculture (BOA), and Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC). The Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) are also among the partners.