The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN) has initiated the ‘SELECT’ program, aimed at imrpoving the visibility and marketability of locally produced goods. The SMEDAN SELECT program will endorse high-quality Made-in-Nigeria products across diverse sectors.
The initiative seeks to broaden avenues for investor engagement and market expansion. Mr. Charles Odii, the Director-General of SMEDAN, emphasized the significance of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to the Nigerian economy, highlighting their crucial roles in job creation and GDP growth.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State also emphasized the pivotal role that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play in the Nigerian economy. These roles, accroding to him, include improvement in innovation, job creation, and economic development. He reiterated the Kano State government’s commitment to supporting and advancing SME development.
Mansir Manu Soro, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on SMEs, affirmed the legislature’s dedication to ensuring adequate funding for SMEs across Nigeria. He commended SMEDAN’s efforts to digitize and empower small businesses in the country.
Mr. Odii detailed that the SMEDAN SELECT program, featuring approximately 300 select products, aims to showcase the best of Nigerian entrepreneurship through the agency’s website and social media channels. To expand the reach and enhance patronage of Nigerian products, printed catalogues will be distributed to embassies, government agencies, and department stores in major cities.
The program primarily spotlights products from Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), particularly those benefiting from SMEDAN’s One Local Government, One Product (OLOP) initiative. The OLOP initiative, geared towards enhancing technical and business management skills, operates in 109 senatorial districts with the objective of broadening business opportunities and empowering local communities.
Representatives from key agencies such as NAFDAC, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and the Nigeria Export Promotion Council have voiced their support for small businesses in Nigeria.
