Shettima urges stakeholders to widen support for MSMEs, harness digital, agriculture potential
…calls for stronger financing, technology adoption …as fed govt targets more jobs, shared hubs nationwide Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged financial institutions, government agencies, and private sector partners to
...calls for stronger financing, technology adoption
...as fed govt targets more jobs, shared hubs nationwide
Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged financial institutions, government agencies, and private sector partners to expand their scope of support for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), stressing that Nigeria must urgently harness its vast potential in the digital space, agriculture, and other high-impact sectors.
Shettima made the call on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, when he received the 2025–2026 MSME report during a stakeholders’ meeting convened to review progress under the MSME and job creation framework of the Tinubu administration.
Emphasising the role of MSMEs in economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction, the Vice President said stakeholders must deepen collaboration and leverage technology to unlock opportunities for young Nigerians, particularly in the fast-growing digital economy.
According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said, “we have our jobs cut out for us. SMEDAN is doing an awesome job, and so is ITF. Every stakeholder here, from NAFDAC, to CAC, NITDA, Export Promotion Council, and NIPC, is putting in their best, and we are mighty proud of all of you".
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He challenged both public and private sector actors to take a cue from India’s outsourcing success, noting that the Asian country generated about $130 billion in 2025 from business process outsourcing alone.
“So, we need to really harness our potential in the digital space, in agriculture,” he added.
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The Vice President thanked the agencies and partners for their contributions, assuring them that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration would continue to do all it could to support the growth of small businesses across the country.
Earlier, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the meeting as an overview of the progress recorded in the MSME sector over time, noting that key stakeholders were present to appraise the achievements of the programme.
Idris disclosed that over 250,000 jobs had been created, with more expected in the months ahead.
He also commended the Special Adviser to the President on MSMEs and Job Creation in the Office of the Vice President, Mr. Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, for convening stakeholders across Africa in Abuja to showcase Nigeria’s MSME progress and chart a way forward for the sector’s development on the continent.
Presenting the MSME report, Adekunle-Johnson said the Renewed Hope Agenda had repositioned MSMEs as a central pillar of national economic transformation and job creation.
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He said the administration’s focus over the past year had been on improving access to affordable financing, reducing operational constraints through shared infrastructure, strengthening market linkages, and institutionalising recognition frameworks that promote excellence and competitiveness.
Adekunle-Johnson noted that access to funding was expanded through MSME Clinics, which he described as a bridge between the Federal Government, state governments, and small businesses.
According to him, the clinics create market visibility, improve business formalisation opportunities, and provide access to instant on-site grants for outstanding businesses at each clinic.
On job creation, the presidential aide disclosed that over 11 shared hubs had been deployed in the past year, creating more than 250,000 jobs across the country.
He said the roadmap for 2026 would focus on stronger coordination with partner agencies and state governments, de-risking of funds, the National MSME Awards, sustainable job creation programmes, capacity development and improved access to financing.
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In a goodwill message, Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mr. Charles Odii, commended President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima for what he described as “setting the blueprint” for MSME growth in Nigeria.
Odii said shared facilities created through the Office of the Vice President were helping to engage Nigerians even late into the day, creating more jobs and renewed interest in government policy.
“This is the first time the people have been so fascinated by the policy of the government,” he said.
Managing directors of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) also outlined how their agencies supported thousands of MSMEs over the past year.
Representatives of Access Bank, Zenith Bank, and Wema Bank pledged continued partnership with the Office of the Vice President to strengthen support for MSMEs, as stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to their roles in driving Nigeria’s economic growth.
