The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has promised to support entrepreneurship development in the territory, saying it was the life wire of economic growth.
According to a statement by the minister’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Anthony Ogunleye, Bello stated this when he received a group of award winning entrepreneurs from the FCT in his office on Tuesday evening.
The minister said that Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) represent an important component in the nation’s stride towards economic growth and development and expressed pride in the performance of the entrepreneurs who had done very well in the various business related contests under the supervision of the Abuja Enterprise Agency.
He expressed delight, especially with the performance of MS Sheelda Enterprises Nigeria Limited which won the first position under the manufacturing category at the recently concluded 3rd National MSME awards organized by the office of the Vice President.
While presenting the awardees to the Minister, the Managing Director of the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA) Dr Arabi Mohammed Tukur, said the success of the entrepreneurs was as a result of the support of the FCT Administration for the growth of small and medium scale businesses in the FCT.
He also said that SMEs were the engine room of economic growth of any nation as well as jobs creation.
He reiterated the determination of the FCT Administration, through the AEA, to provide 230,000 jobs in the FCT in line with the Federal Government’s vision of providing one million jobs nationwide by 2023.
In addition to MS Sheelda Nigeria Limited that got a cash prize of N500, 000 along with a brand new car provided by the Bank of Industry, the other award winners are Messrs.
Usaifa International Limited that took the first position in the National Business Plan competition organized by the Annual Investment Meeting, a Dubai based organisation in collaboration with the AEA.
The CEO of the company, Usman Ali Lawan is expected to represent Nigeria at the Global event in Dubai, for the top prize of $50,000.
Also presented to the FCT Minister were the winner and two runners up of the “Mask Up Abuja” competition, also organized by the AEA.
The contest was for fashion designers to create face masks for the fight against COVID-19 in the FCT.
According to Dr Arabi Tukur, 925 entrepreneurs submitted their works out of which Miss Onojo Malissa came first, winning a cash prize of N500,000 followed by Mr Obiechina John and Mrs. Egorp Susan who came second and third, with cash prizes of N300,000 and N200,000 respectively.
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