VP Shettima chaired the 5th meeting of the National Council on Skills in Abuja on Wednesday

* Inaugurates committee on hosting of 4th AU MSME Forum in Abuja

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has already taken bold steps to construct digital highways and bridges that would carry Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across borders into the heart of the African market.

According to him,  while over 83 per cent of employment in Africa lies in the informal economy, the continent is not short on ideas and digital innovation that offer an unprecedented window to compete with the rest of the world.

Senator Shettima stated this in Abuja on Monday when he inaugurated the oversight committee recently approved by President Tinubu to organise Nigeria’s hosting of the 4th African Union (AU) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Forum, scheduled to hold between June 23 and 27 in Abuja.

Listing some of the administration’s policies and programmes in this direction, the Vice President recalled that Nigeria chaired and spearheaded the AfCFTA Negotiating Forum, and has aligned its investment, digital trade, and competition policies with the agreement.

He noted that it is for this reason that Nigeria also established a Technology Export and Digital Trade Desk to support the nation’s entrepreneurs in exporting services and digital goods across Africa.

This, VP Shettima said, the i-DICE Programme, a 617.7 million dollar investment in digital and creative enterprises, and the 3 Million Tech Talent Programme, is set out to achieve by training Nigerian youths in coding, data science, and digital fluency to power the nation’s transformation.

The VP conveyed the assurance of President Bola Tinubu that Nigeria is ready to lead in shaping Africa’s digital trade future, even as the nation is harmonising its laws to make cross-border commerce seamless, secure, and scalable.

“We have reformed. We have invested. And we are resolved to see this transformation through. But none of us can achieve this in isolation. That is why this forum is not just important. It is indispensable. It provides the blueprint, the platform, and the partnerships that will empower African MSMEs to become the heartbeat of our economic renewal,” he said.

Earlier, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, who is chairman of the organising committee, said the forum will provide a veritable platform for exchanging knowledge and ideas on MSME development and facilitate collaboration across the continent.

He said the theme of the summit, which is on “building resilient MSMEs through digital innovation, market access and affordable financing for Africa”, aligns with the efforts of the Tinubu administration in supporting development and growth in the sector.

On his part, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi, who is a member of the organising committee, said hosting the 4th edition of the forum by Nigeria underscores growing confidence in Nigeria in the comity of nations.

The forum, he pointed out, reflects the efforts made by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in providing a conducive environment for small businesses in the country.

In the same vein, the Minister of State for Industry, Sen. John Enoh, also a committee member, commended the leadership of President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima for prioritising the well-being and growth of small businesses, in acknowledgement of their contributions to the GDP and economic transformation.

He assured that efforts would be put in place to ensure that Nigeria successfully hosts the forum, while small businesses in Nigeria leverage the platform to improve in areas of access to affordable finance and markets, among other benefits.

On his part, the Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation and MSME, Mr Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, who is secretary of the committee, said the team would work collaboratively to deliver a world-class event that reflects the efforts of the Tinubu administration, assuring that the country would be ready ahead of the opening ceremony on June 23 in Abuja.

Also, Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade & Investment, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, said the state hosts the largest number of MSMEs in the country, close to 70 per cent, adding that the government has taken steps to ease access to funds for these businesses through a N10 billion fund, the Lagos State – Bank of Industry MSME Access to Finance Scheme (LASMECO).

Apart from Lagos State, Benue, Imo, Enugu, Katsina and Ekiti States are all involved in the sub-committees of the project.

In separate remarks, the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, Dr Olasupo Olusi; the Executive Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mr Zacch Adedeji and the Director General of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mr Charles Odii, who are members of the committee, pledged their commitment and support for the hosting of the meeting, noting that the benefits would positively impact local MSMEs and the overall national economy.

Other members of the committee include Ministers of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani; Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musawa; Executive Director of NEPC, Mrs Nonye Ayeni; Executive Secretary, NIPC, Mrs Aisha Rimi; CEO, NEXIM Bank, Mr Abba Bello, and President of NACCIMA, Mr Dele Oye.