80% of Nigeria’s workforce will be jobless without MSMEs – Shettima

Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday asserted that 80 per cent of Nigeria’s workforce would have been without a job except for the existence of Micro, Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Shettima made the assertion in Makurdi during the commissioning of Benue State Fashion Hub and Benue Printing and Publishing Corporation.

He said, “MSME is the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, it accounts for 96 per cent of all Nigeria’s businesses and contributes over 45 per cent to our economy, without them over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s workforce would have been without a job.

“Today, MSME is the lifeline of the nation providing a strong pillar for stability. It is evident that it will be impossible to grow Nigeria’s economy if the MSME does not remain a top priority.”

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The vice president who was represented by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, a Deputy Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu eulogised the Benue fashion hub, saying it was the biggest edifice among the five so far commissioned by the present administration in the country.

He said the hub would become a centre of excellence in northern Nigeria and revamp Benue’s rich cultural fashion as well as the state’s economy as it continues to create jobs for many of its population.

“Benue hub is the largest in the country with over 200 pieces of machine equipment and more than 100 ICT devices in this cluster. This hub has the capacity to wrap up production, ICT training and economic steam.

“The Benue fashion hub is capable of creating 48,000 jobs per annum. It has the capacity to create military uniforms, school uniforms among others for Benue state and beyond,” the vice president added.

Earlier, Governor Hyacinth Alia, explained that the Benue State Fashion Hub, which was the vice president initiative and a gift to Benue state remains a cornerstone of his administration’s agenda to promote creativity, foster innovation, create employment and provide opportunities for our people.

““We acknowledge and appreciate the 70 computers donated by your office to power the ICT section of this hub, the various sewing and weaving machines, the 100KVA generator and other equipment. The hub, acclaimed to be the biggest in the country, has the capacity to accommodate more machines and equipment in order to engage more youths, hence we are requesting for the supply of additional machines especially the monogram and other specialised machines for garment making.”