The Director General of the Small, Medium and Entrepreneurship Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Olawale Fasanya over the weekend said about 90 entrepreneurs received equipment and vocational training in fashion, leatherwork in Cross River State.
This was made known during the Cross River State Entrepreneurship Conference themed ‘Economic Growth Industrialisation, Job Creation and SMES Catalyst’ as part of activities marking the Global Entrepreneurship Week 2022 in the state.
Fasanya, through a representative, disclosed that the small business sub-sector was a critical aspect of the Nigerian economy which is the catalyst for economic growth; adding that small businesses collectively account for majority of the Enterprises in Nigeria and also create the highest number of jobs.
Guest speaker and business mogul, Nsa Ekpeyong while addressing business students from the University of Calabar and Cross River State University former and existing Entrepreneurs in the state, urged them to make use of the opportunities provided and be focused on what they do.
Narrating his experience, Nsa told the audience to create value for themselves and make positive decisions to succeed in what they want to achieve.
Businessman Bola Omodele commended the state governor Ben Ayade for his Industrialisation policy by providing the platform for the state industrial revolution. According to him, most Nigerians are looking for opportunities in the wrong ways.
He said that Cross River State was an agrarian community and urged the would-be entrepreneurs to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the governor by investing in agricultural value chain.
About SMEDAN
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) was established by the SMEDAN Act of 2003 to promote the development of the MSME sector of the Nigeria Economy. The Agency facilitates the access of micro, small and medium entrepreneurs and investors to all resources required for their development. Justification for our existence. Poverty, due to lack of access to income earning opportunities and lack of capacity to take advantage of the opportunities, is a social malaise that is threatening global prosperity in general and national economic growth and development in particular. a well developed MSMEs sector has proven to be one of the most veritable channels to combat poverty. The establishment of SMEDAN is therefore justified by the need to trigger the development of Nigeria’s MSMEs in a structured and efficient manner.
