Small Businesses Are Growing Under President Tinubu-Aide
The Nigerian government says micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) in the country stand a good chance of growing under the current administration led by President Bola Tinubu.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on job creation and MSMEs, Mr Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, made the declaration in a chat with State House Correspondents in Abuja.
Adekunle-Johnson, who briefed journalists on the forthcoming 2025 National MSMEs Awards, noted with delight that the award aims to further encourage small businesses in the country to thrive.
He said, “The government wants to change the lives of these small and medium enterprises. The intention is to see or hear some of them say that during this time under President Tinubu’s administration, their fortunes changed.”
Shedding more light on the awards, he said that 2025 would be the 7th edition and the portal for entries would be opened from 7th March to 7th April 2025.
He also announced that people with disabilities now have an opportunity to participate in the 2025 edition of the MSMEs awards.
“The portal is going to be opened from the 7th of March 2025 and it runs all through till the 7th of April 2025.
“Another thing I would like to say about this year’s awards that is unique is that we have considered businesses run by people with disabilities and we have now considered a category for them as well because there is also ability in disability. So people living with disabilities now have the opportunity to compete for the numerous prizes like other people that will enter for the awards,” he added.
The Presidential aide added that the overall winner for this year would cart home a house, a car, a shop for business and a cash prize of
Contributing, the representative of the Standards Organization of Nigeria, which serves as the secretary of the awards screening committee for the awards, Mrs Fibian Arumemi, disclosed that there will be eight categories of awards for the 7th edition.
She assured prospective awardees that the screening process would be transparent and fair.
“This award event has been very remarkable over the years and the Nigerian government has remained very committed to encouraging MSMEs and also rewarding them for their contributions in terms of job creation and economic development.
“We are already at the 7th session of the awards and over the years, a lot of impact has been made in rewarding MAMEs who have been so deserving. This year’s edition is going to be exceptional.
“The categories will include agriculture, innovation in ICT, creative arts, fashion and styles, furniture and woodwork and manufacturing, among others. We also have persons with disabilities who are given a special place in this year’s awards.
“The awards itself in terms of the screening will be very diligent and transparent, and the criteria for qualification are very simple; it requires regulatory compliance; how you have been consistent in paying your taxes, registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission, compliance with the quality requirements of the Standards Organization of Nigeria and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. We will also be requiring that each entrant let us know the impact he/she is making in the area of job creation, among many others,” Mrs Arumemi revealed.
On how the organizers are encouraging local production and consumption of goods, the representative of the Nigeria Export Import Bank, Mr Tayo Omideji, stated that there is an executive order on local content that the government is implementing fully.
He said small businesses would be encouraged to continue producing qualitative goods that meet both local and international standards for local consumption and also exports.
“People will patronize locally produced goods once they are sure of the quality, which is what this programme is meant to achieve: to help our MSMEs to upscale their products and enhance the value in terms of the quality and health standards so that it becomes what Nigerians want to consume,” he said.
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