The Acting Managing Director/CEO of the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA), Mr Chudi Ugwuada-Ezirigwe, has flagged off the disbursement and training session for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) under the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (CARES) Programme.
The flagging-off took place yesterday at the AEA Auditorium in Abuja.
In his speech, Mr Ugwuada-Ezirigwe said, “This initiative is crucial in providing relief to vulnerable households and supporting economic recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
He emphasised the agency’s dedication to the programme’s success, noting that, “Since the inception of the FCT CARES Programme, we have been committed to its success through comprehensive and strategic efforts, including sensitisation visits, media tours, and the deployment of our MSME Enumeration platform.”
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He said: “Over 50,000 SMEs in the FCT have been successfully enrolled, and more than 2,500 eligible entrepreneurs have been trained, sensitised, and accessed funding for their businesses.”
He also expressed his gratitude to the FCT Administration, especially the minister, Nyesom Wike, for its unwavering support, adding, “Let us keep working together to ensure the success of this initiative.”
The event marks another significant step in strengthening MSMEs in the FCT as they recover from the economic challenges posed by the pandemic.
Also speaking, the FCTA’s Head of Service, Samuel Udo Atang Udo, emphasised the importance of supporting MSMEs, adding that, “We recognise the critical role MSMEs play in driving Nigeria’s economy and have taken proactive steps to support their recovery.”