The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, says Nigeria is on the rise again under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
He made the declaration in Abuja on Friday at the Presidential Villa during a press conference ahead of the forthcoming African Union Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Forum, which Nigeria will host.
Speaking ahead of the event, Minister Idris said hosting other African nations is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s passion for Nigeria’s accelerated socio-economic development.
“It is one of the first pedestals of opening up our economy to the rest of the world. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is supporting it because it is his own way of showcasing to the world that Nigeria is now indeed open for business, and that for those who think that businesses are leaving this country, now we have people coming from all across Africa and the world.
They are coming to show solidarity with us and if your environment is not conducive for people to come together in the first place, they won’t come so; businesses now have one of the best opportunities. This summit is our way of showing that not just that the small businesses can thrive here, it is also an indication that there is a progression and Nigeria is attracting the world to come and do business,” he said.
Idris stressed that the President Tinubu has a lot of business experience, which he is leveraging for the progress of the nation.
“Nigeria is rising and with the coming of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the world once again is paying attention to Nigeria because for the first time we are having someone who has a very strong background in business and in governance at the subnational level and he is bringing that to the national level,” he added.
Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, noted that the goal of the forum is to empower small businesses by strengthening policies on MSME development.
“The principal objective is to empower Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises, develop intra-African value chains, and strengthen policies on MSME development through fostering strategic partnerships that will eventually empower MSMEs to thrive on the continent,” he said.
He called on key players and stakeholders in the Nigerian ecosystem to leverage the platform provided by the forum to build new networks for investments and market access across Africa and beyond.
Minister of Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa expressed optimism that the forthcoming 4th African Union MSME Forum will positively impact the culture and tourism industry in Nigeria, especially in building and entrenching a viable policy for the industry.
She added that the event will further amplify what the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing to rebrand the country through a flagship initiative known as the “Destination Nigeria” project, anchored by her ministry.
The Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation and MSME, who is the secretary of the organizing committee, Mr. Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, said all is set for the event that will feature high level paper presentations, technical panel discussions and fireside chats, tech and innovation showcase, product exhibitions and networking opportunities for businesses across the continent.
He said the approval of President Bola Tinubu for hosting the event is in recognition of the vital role that MSMEs play in driving economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction, which aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration.
In separate remarks, the Chief Executives of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN), Mr. Charles Odii; the Nigeria Export Import (NEXIM) Bank, Mr. Abba Bello, and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, all pledged the commitment and support of their organisations towards a successful hosting of the event.
Delegates from over 50 African countries will converge on Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, from Monday, June 23 to Friday 27, 2025, to address challenges affecting small businesses, particularly affordable financing, enhancing digital transformation and improving market access.
Nigeria will host the rest of Africa on the platform of the African Union Commission for the 4th African Union (AU) MSME Forum to exchange ideas on how to improve intra- and inter-African trade and support the growth of small businesses on the continent.