The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN) has unveiled its ambitious plan to drive job creation and enhance productivity within the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector through the “GROW Nigerian” strategy. The agency aims to tackle common challenges faced by MSMEs, ultimately boosting the nation’s economy.
SMEDAN’s Director-General, Mr. Charles Odii, disclosed this strategy during a meeting with members of the Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday. He revealed that the agency had already created 90,160 jobs for unemployed youths in the first quarter of 2025, as per its latest report.
“Our ‘GROW Nigerian’ initiative is designed to provide guidance, resources, opportunities, and workforce support to Nigerian MSMEs,” Odii explained. The initiative focuses on empowering small businesses to thrive by offering essential tools, training, access to markets, and financial support.
According to Odii, the success of SMEDAN’s efforts in Q1 2025 includes supporting more than 116,000 entrepreneurs across the country, providing them with training, tools, and resources necessary for business growth and sustainability. These efforts are integral to SMEDAN’s broader mission to foster innovation and job creation.
The “GROW Nigerian” strategy, which stands for Guidance, Resources, Opportunities, and Workforce Support, is aimed at resolving common barriers that hinder MSME growth, such as access to capital, high operating costs, regulatory burdens, and a lack of skilled labor.
In his address, Odii emphasized that the agency is targeting eight critical sectors of the Nigerian economy, including agriculture, fashion and textiles, tourism, hospitality, manufacturing, education, the digital economy, and new technology adoption. These sectors are expected to benefit from SMEDAN’s targeted interventions, providing significant opportunities for job creation and revenue growth.
Odii also noted that SMEDAN’s efforts would involve creating platforms for businesses to access markets and showcase their products, a key step in expanding their reach both locally and internationally. Additionally, the agency will continue to offer training programs aimed at fostering innovation and improving business operations within small enterprises.
“As we collaborate with stakeholders, we are committed to overcoming the challenges that MSMEs face. By equipping businesses with the right tools—knowledge, capital, and access to networks—we can accelerate their growth and create a more sustainable business environment,” Odii concluded.
Looking ahead, SMEDAN is optimistic that its initiatives will significantly improve the MSME sector’s productivity, creating more jobs and contributing to the long-term economic development of Nigeria.
