FG, BOI restate commitment to intervention schemes for MSMES

Yemi Osinbajo, vice president, has said micro, small, medium enterprises (MSMES) are the most important business component for economic growth and therefore should be supported for growth.

Osinbajo said this at the weekend while launching the MSME clinic in Minna, Niger.

“The MSME clinic is a response to the fact that we recognise that MSMES are the most important business component of our economy.

“In any economy, what small businesses contribute is really the super structure of the economy. And that is why the President decided that we must have this clinic in every state of the federation and so for the past two years we have been going round flagging MSME clinics state by state and one-stop shop”, he added.

He noted that having MSME clinics in each state has become necessary to facilitate the work of MSMES, adding that most small businesses find it difficult to travel all the way to Abuja and Lagos just to get regulatory permission.

“That is why we think it is best to bring those authorities to them under a one-stop shop.

Toyin Adeniji, executive director, Micro Enterprises in the Bank of Industry (BOI), said the bank has given out over N400 million in loans to SMES across Nigeria.

She said that the BOI has recorded 7,500 beneficiaries for the Market Moni initiative unveiled by the administration.

Adeniji stated that SMES across Nigeria need financial enablement to succeed, necessitating the ‘Market Moni’ initiative.

“The objective of the loans is to provide financial inclusion to make sure that every citizen is empowered. Access to finance is a major problem to all businesses at every level and remains critical to the success of any business.

“The administration has deemed it fit to make sure that even the people at the bottom of the pyramid are able to access finance without any hassle.”

In his remarks, Abubakar Bello,state governor, said his administration has accessed over N2 billion from the CBN to assist MSMES in the state.

Bello commended the Federal Government for setting up MSME programmes in the country, saying that small businesses are known to create millions of jobs in the country.

Some of the beneficiaries at the MSME Clinic said the Market Moni has helped them in improving their businesses.

Abdul Mohammed, a brass maker in Bida, said he has ben- efited a lot from the Market Moni as it provided him the avenue to improve on his business.

Deborah Jemimah, a head-tie seller, said with Market Moni, she was able to employ five people and begin an online training program which has boosted her income.