The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria has launched a comprehensive capacity-building programme for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise clusters in Kano State, North west Nigeria.
The programme aims to enhance productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability among local businesses.
The initiative, implemented under the Agency’s Enterprise Cluster Development (ECD) programme, is designed to strengthen MSMEs through technical support, improved production methods, and modern business management practices.
In a statement signed by the Head of Corporate Affairs Unit, Moshood Lawal, the Agency said “the programme seeks to improve product quality, boost operational efficiency, and expand market opportunities for participating enterprises.”
Speaking at the event, Kano State Manager of SMEDAN, Bashir Jamfalam, who represented the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Charles Odii, said the training would equip cluster enterprises and their development associations with critical technical support, modern production technologies, and advanced business management skills.
“The enterprise clusters will play a significant role in accelerating the growth of MSMEs by encouraging collaboration and reducing production costs.
“Such collective initiatives are essential to enhancing the competitiveness of Nigerian products in regional and international markets, particularly under the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area,” he said.
According to the statement, SMEDAN expects the intervention to enable businesses to improve standards, increase efficiency, and gain access to both local and international markets.
A major component of the Kano programme is the Agency’s emphasis on sustainable industrial development through renewable energy adoption.
The statement disclosed that viable cluster enterprises would be identified for “solarization” and other clean energy interventions aimed at reducing operating costs and promoting environmentally sustainable business practices.
“Aligning with global best practices championed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), SMEDAN’s ECD programme seeks to foster inclusive economic growth, alleviate poverty, and create meaningful employment opportunities for women and youth”, the statement added.
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The initiative is also being implemented in Delta State, South south Nigeria, hopes to deliver measurable economic benefits including increased profitability, stronger brand visibility for enterprise clusters, and greater contributions by MSMEs to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.
