SMEDAN to partner businesses to enhance MSME operational efficiency

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

The Director-General of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr Dikko Radda, has said that the agency will partner with business organisations to enhance the operational efficiency of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Radda stated this while addressing participants during a 2-day MSMEs support Organisation Dialogue for South-South states in Uyo on Wednesday.

Radda, who was represented by Mrs Maureen Achonu, Assistant Director of SMEDAN said the agency would work with these organisations to reposition MSMEs for national and global competitiveness.

He added that government would establish what it described as a one-stop-shop strategy to make business easier for small and medium enterprises.

“SMEDAN is desirous of entering into a new strategic partnership with the MSMEs support organisations and Business Membership Organisations at both the private and public sectors to enhance the operational efficiency of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.

“With this partnership, SMEDAN will work synergistically with these organisations to reposition the MSMEs for national, continental, and global competitiveness, especially with the take-off of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.

“The overall output of this renewed partnership would be geared towards meeting the yearnings of the MSMEs across Nigeria.

“This is a partnership that we are very eager to bring to fruition. To satisfy the evolving needs of the Nigerian MSMEs, we advise the MSMEs Support Organisations to develop a “One-Stop Centre” strategy, which implies that when the entrepreneurs visit your organization, they will go back smiling as you have delighted them.

“At SMEDAN, we always take the first challenging step towards sustainable development of MSME in accordance with our mandate.

“Creating a desirable future for the Nigerian MSMEs is a task before us; it requires our collective efforts through critical thinking and strategic partnership,” Radda said.

Declaring the workshop opened, the Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Mr Ukpong Akpabio urged the National Agency for Food Administration and Drug Control (NAFDAC) to review its checklist for approval of businesses.

Ukpong requested the Federal Government to constitute a one-stop-shop Committee where all government Agencies involved in business regulations would sit at one table and give necessary approvals as demanded by entrepreneurs.

“All the Federal Government Agencies involved in business regulations and approval should be in one committee and give their consent to entrepreneurs as they bring their requests to avoid unnecessary bureaucracy for entrepreneurs,” Akpabio said.

Mrs Prosper Eghaghe, of the Nigerian Association of Women Entrepreneurs (NAWE), urged governments to train women on business management to help them manage their business effectively.

She also appealed to the government to give women business loan, adding that loan given to women was sure to be paid back.

Another participant, Mr Rechard Wilson, said that no country will have sustainable development without the development of MSMEs.

Wilson said the workshop would equip participants with the knowledge to manage their business in line with global best practices.