By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has advocated a stronger synergy among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for the effective implementation of the National Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Policy 2021-2025.
Managing Director of SMEDAN, Mr Olawale Fasanya made the appeal at the Inter-Agency Working Group Dialogue on the Implementation of the National MSME Policy, sponsored by the German Corporation (GIZ) in Abuja on Wednesday.
This is sequel to the recent approval by the Federal Government of the reviewed National Policy on MSMEs (2021-2025).
The Federal Government had given the nod to the new policy on MSMEs which among other things reclassified small businesses based on turnover rather than their assets.
Fasanya, who was represented by Mr Onesi-Lawani Daberuje, said that strong collaboration was critical in entrenching inclusive development of the MSME sub-sector.
According to him, the implementation of the policy would facilitate and sustain a vibrant MSMEs sector that will be the major driver of national economic growth and development.
“Another objective of the policy is to effectively deliver on employment and wealth creation and accelerate economic growth,’’ he said.
The SMEDAN boss further said that the 2021-2025 National MSME Policy emphasizes a strong implementation framework with critical on-going inputs from public-private dialogue.
He said that the public-private dialogues organised as policy implementation working groups would provide critical support to the National Technical Implementation Committee across the different pillars of the policy.
The representative of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) Mr John Opaluwa, said that the importance of the national policy on MSME could not be overemphasized.
According to Opaluwa who is the Deputy Director, Industrial Development Department in the ministry, implementation is important because “we know that MSME is critical and key to the nation’s economic development.
“And it is the engine room for growth and development of any nation and Nigeria not being an exception we will ensure that we have that benefit derived from it to ensure that our MSMEs are moved to a greater level.
“We have the backing of the government to ensure that this trickles down to state and local government level where we can reach all the MSMEs and ensure their development,’’ Opaoluwa said.
The objectives of the Dialogue include, to Inaugurate the National Policy Working group; adopt terms of reference for the group; achieve consensus on operational structure and initiate initial implementation.
