Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has called for expanded and better coordinated support for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, urging both public and private sector actors to intensify efforts aimed at unlocking opportunities in the digital economy, agriculture and other high growth sectors.
He made the appeal on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja during a stakeholders meeting where the 2025 to 2026 MSME report was presented as part of a broader review of the administration’s job creation and enterprise development framework.
Shettima stressed that small businesses remain the backbone of national growth, playing a critical role in employment generation and poverty reduction.
He noted that with Nigeria’s youthful population and expanding technology space, stakeholders must deepen collaboration and deploy innovative tools that can widen access to opportunities.
The Vice President commended key agencies for their contributions to the sector, including the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, the Industrial Training Fund, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the Corporate Affairs Commission, the National Information Technology Development Agency, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission.
He said their collective efforts were helping to reposition the MSME ecosystem.
Drawing comparisons with global trends, Shettima observed that countries such as India have successfully leveraged outsourcing and digital services to boost national revenue, urging Nigerian institutions to take deliberate steps to harness similar opportunities.
He assured stakeholders that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would continue to provide the necessary backing for small businesses to thrive.
Earlier, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the meeting as an important stock taking exercise to assess achievements recorded within the MSME space.
He disclosed that more than 250000 jobs have been created through various interventions, with expectations of further gains in the coming months.
Presenting the report, the Special Adviser to the President on MSMEs and Job Creation, Temitola Adekunle Johnson, said the Renewed Hope Agenda has placed small businesses at the centre of economic transformation.
According to him, the focus over the past year has been on improving access to affordable financing, reducing operational bottlenecks through shared facilities, strengthening market linkages and promoting excellence through structured recognition initiatives.
He highlighted the MSME Clinics as a platform that connects entrepreneurs directly with government agencies while also providing on the spot grants to deserving businesses.
Adekunle Johnson added that more than 11 shared hubs have been deployed nationwide, contributing significantly to job creation figures.
Looking ahead to 2026, he said priority areas would include stronger coordination with partner agencies and state governments, safer funding mechanisms, expanded capacity development programmes and improved access to finance.
In a goodwill message, the Director General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, Charles Odii, praised the administration for what he described as a clear roadmap for MSME growth.
He noted that shared facilities established through the Office of the Vice President have helped extend productive hours for many Nigerians while stimulating wider participation in government initiatives.
Managing directors of the Corporate Affairs Commission, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council also outlined their agencies’ contributions to supporting thousands of small businesses. Representatives of Access Bank, Zenith Bank and Wema Bank reaffirmed their commitment to sustained collaboration with the government to strengthen Nigeria’s enterprise landscape.
