FG Launches Entrepreneurship Network

Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar has launched the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN).

The initiative is a year round platform of programmes and initiatives aimed at creating one global entrepreneurial ecosystem.

GEN helps people in 160 countries unleash their ideas and turn them into promising new ventures, creating jobs, accelerating innovation and strengthening economic stability around the world.

The board is to be chaired by Peter Bamkole, while the Director General of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dikko Umaru Radda is also a member.

Abubakar emphasised that SMEs have a major role in the economic recovery and growth plan and the transformation of country’s industrial sector.

The minister described the platform as one step that will give access to market, growth opportunity and build capacity in terms of quality of product and diversification. She also added that GEN will enhance the SMEs financially in addition to other incentives.

“I am very excited because there is no extent to the limit our SMEs can grow both nationally and internationally and how they are faring, “Abubakar said.

Bamkole stressed that though GEN activities have always taken place in the country in the past seven years, as the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), GEN Nigeria was launched to harmonise entrepreneurial activities around the country and expose the creative endeavours of Nigerians.

He added that efforts will be made to promote a more entrepreneurial culture by celebrating the success of Nigerian businesses and inspiring the coming generation.