We’re eliminating barriers against MSMEs’ productivity – SMEDAN

The Director General (DG) of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Charles Odii, has said that the agency is putting measures in place to eliminate obstacles that are hindering the productivity of MSMEs in the country.

Odii made the disclosure at the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum held recently in Washington DC, United States, according to a statement by the agency.

Odii said, “We are diligently working to eliminate inefficiencies and barriers that hinder productivity in Nigeria’s SME sector.

“As the secretary of the national council on SMEs, chaired by the Vice-president and led at the state level by all state governors, we are collaborating with other government agencies involved in taxation, health and safety regulations, land access, and financing to create a conducive environment for growth.”

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The DG added that the goal of the agency was to bridge the gap between Nigerian and US small businesses, ensuring that AGOA’s opportunities were fully leveraged to foster growth, industrialisation, job creation and improved production quality for Nigerian SMEs.

The forum was convened to review the impact of the duty-free legislation and discuss necessary adjustments ahead of its renewal next year.

At the forum, SMEDAN organised a side event involving government agencies such as the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts to explore investment and funding opportunities, share knowledge and discuss potential collaborations.