Sigma Pensions urges SMEs to enrol in micro scheme

A Pensions Fund Administrator, Sigma Pensions, has urged Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) to key into voluntary contributions so that the operators can have a retirement savings.

The Vice President, Business Development, (West) Sigma Pensions, Mrs. Mabel George, said this to over 10,000 SMEs at the ConnectNigeria SMEs E-business fair 2018 in Lagos yesterday.

She said: “We are very aware that it is important that they are able to contribute into the scheme. As long as you have a registered business, you are able to come into pensions and do a voluntary contribution.”

She said SMEs could come under the micro pensions to make contributions at a voluntary rate to suit their income.

Mrs. George who spoke on the issues limiting SMEs from growth, while proffering an array of solutions to enhance growth of SMEs was received by a rounding applause.

“We found that most people start off their businesses and when we talk about pension, people become unresponsive. So what should be important to you is starting off a business, have a health management scheme and most importantly, you must have a pension scheme.

“At Sigma Pensions, as a PFA for over 12 years, we want to see SMEs, businesses, start-ups thriving in their businesses,” she said.

SMEs sector in Nigeria is largely regarded as the driving force behind the country’s formal and informal sectors’ economic growth since they serve as sources of innovation, creating numerous jobs and employment to people with requisite skills in order to generate revenue for growth.