From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, has commended the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) for its efforts in supporting the growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.
Dr. Oduwole gave the commendation during a working visit to SMEDAN’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday, where she toured the agency’s Common Facility Centres (CFCs) dedicated to garment production, furniture making, recycling and food packaging.
In a statement signed on Tuesday by the Head of Corporate Affairs at SMEDAN, Moshood Lawal, the minister praised the agency’s G.R.O.W. Nigeria strategy—an initiative designed to provide Guidance, Resources, Opportunities and Workforce support to Nigerian MSMEs.
She described the framework as a people-focused, transformative model aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, adding that the strategy advances the administration’s “Nigeria First” policy by promoting local production and value addition.
“It is heartening to witness first-hand how these well-equipped centres are empowering small businesses to thrive,” Dr. Oduwole said. “The G.R.O.W. Nigeria framework is a bold step towards realising the vision of a competitive, self-sustaining MSME sector driven by Made-in-Nigeria goods.”
The minister also applauded the agency’s leadership under its Director General, Charles Odii, for driving visible improvements in MSME development through the establishment of functional industrial clusters and shared production infrastructure.
In his response, Mr. Odii reiterated SMEDAN’s commitment to fostering a robust MSME ecosystem through strategic partnerships, enterprise support services, and the expansion of sustainable industrial clusters nationwide.
According to him, the agency will continue to implement policies and programmes that unlock the potential of small businesses as drivers of job creation, innovation and inclusive economic growth.
Dr. Oduwole’s visit, the statement added, reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening institutions that promote enterprise development and industrialisation in line with national economic objectives.