SMEDAN seeks concrete action for empowerment of women entrepreneurs
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has called for decisive action to support women entrepreneurs and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria.
SMEDAN Director-General, Mr Charles Odii, made this appeal at the unveiling of SMEDAN’s GrowHer Accelerator Programme, organised to commemorate the 2025 International Women’s Day on Thursday in Abuja.
The theme of the event was: “Accelerate Action for Gender Equality.”
Odii, while underscoring the importance of celebrating the achievements of women entrepreneurs and fostering gender equality in the MSME sector, stressed the necessity of moving beyond discussions to tangible economic outcomes.
The director-general urged stakeholders to shift from dialogue to implementation.
He drew attention to the critical role of MSMEs in Nigeria’s economy, noting that they accounted for 39.65 million businesses, contributed nearly 50 per cent to the GDP, and provided 60 million jobs.
“If there are 100 businesses in Nigeria, 96 of them are MSMEs,” he said.
Despite their contributions, he acknowledged significant challenges, particularly low manufacturing output (10-15 per cent) and an underdeveloped industrial workforce.
Odii called for immediate measures to strengthen MSMEs and enhance industrial productivity.
As part of SMEDAN’s commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs, the director-general unveiled the “GROW” initiative—which stands for Guardians, Resources, Opportunities, and Workforce Support.
“GROW is our promise to you. We will guide you with regulatory support, connect you to financial resources, and provide the opportunities you need to expand,” he said.
Reaffirming SMEDAN’s commitment to delivering practical solutions, Odii assured participants of direct assistance.
“For those interested in registering with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), we will guide you through the process today.
“We encourage women entrepreneurs to take advantage of international trade agreements to scale their businesses.
“The dollar standard is rising, and the solution is simple: if you start exporting, the dollar will start coming in.
“So, we urge you to seize opportunities presented by agreements such as the African Continental Free Trade Area and the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme to develop your businesses,” he said.
The Executive Director of NEPC, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, reiterated the need for MSMEs in the country to improve the packaging of their products, which was affecting export rates.
Ayeni also encouraged entrepreneurs to form clusters and mitigate business risks to increase their chances of securing support.
“The reason you are unable to access funds is that you are not reducing risks in your business. No bank wants to give money when they cannot see their funds secured.
“Women, let us come together, mitigate risks in our businesses, and ensure we capitalise on the opportunities available in the marketplace,” she said.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Commodity Exchange, Mr Anthony Atuche, commended the SMEDAN Director-General for his commitment to women and business development.
Atuche urged entrepreneurs to prioritise food production to help address the issues of food security and sustainability.
“This is because we have extensive markets to cater for in the country, even before considering export potential.
“But while we need to ensure food security, we also have food crops that are primarily export commodities.
“The exchange is working on establishing processing capacities in those regions.
“We are also developing storage facilities to assist smallholder producers in processing their products and refining them to meet international standards,” he said.
He added that the exchange was collaborating with NEPC and other stakeholders to address quality control and reduce instances of product rejection on international markets.
Meanwhile, Olabimpe Fawale, Head of the Women and Youth Unit at SMEDAN, reaffirmed the agency’s dedication to supporting women entrepreneurs.
“Today, we gather not just to celebrate but to truly acknowledge and commend the efforts of women entrepreneurs.
“SMEDAN’s new GrowHer Accelerator Programme is specifically designed to mentor and build the capacity of women entrepreneurs.
“The programme aims to empower 100 women annually across three cohorts, focusing on women-owned and women-led enterprises.
“We are opening the portal for registration immediately, and we will be shortlisting beneficiaries to join the programme,” she said.
According to her, the programme will equip entrepreneurs with essential resources and support for sustainable growth and development.
