By Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has commenced a comprehensive capacity-building programme for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) clusters in Kano State to enhance their competitiveness, productivity and long-term sustainability.
The programme, implemented under the agency’s Enterprise Cluster Development (ECD) initiative, is designed to strengthen local businesses through technical support, modern production technologies and advanced business management skills.
This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the Head of SMEDAN’s Corporate Affairs Unit, Moshood Lawal.
Speaking at the programme, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Mr. Charles Odii, who was represented by the Kano State Manager of the agency, Bashir Jamfalam, said the training was designed to equip cluster enterprises and their development associations with the skills and tools needed to improve their operations.
He said the intervention would enable participating businesses to enhance product quality, improve operational efficiency and gain access to both domestic and international markets.
Odii stressed that enterprise clusters play a crucial role in accelerating the growth of MSMEs by encouraging collaboration, reducing production costs and strengthening the competitiveness of Nigerian products.
According to him, such collaborative initiatives are essential for positioning locally made products to compete effectively under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He also highlighted SMEDAN’s commitment to sustainable industrial development, noting that viable enterprises within the clusters would be identified for solar power and other clean energy interventions.
According to him, the adoption of renewable energy will significantly reduce operating costs while promoting environmentally sustainable business practices.
He added that, in line with global best practices championed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the ECD programme is aimed at promoting inclusive economic growth, reducing poverty and creating employment opportunities, particularly for women and young people.
The statement further disclosed that the capacity-building programme is also being implemented in Delta State, expressing optimism that the intervention would lead to increased profitability for participating businesses, stronger cluster brands and greater contributions by MSMEs to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through industrialisation and economic diversification.
