By Adeyinka Adeniran
The Oyo State government on Thursday said it is collaborating with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and Precious Stones multi ventures, a licensed business development services consulting firm, to train Nano business owners in the state.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Dr. Olubunmi Babalola, made the disclosure at a day entrepreneurship development training programme for Nano Business in Oyo State tagged “Oyo Scale up 80 project,” held at the Training hall, Precious Stones multi ventures, Old Kingsway building, Dugbe, Ibadan.
Dr. Babalola, who was represented by the Deputy Director Industry, Mr. Jide Williams, said the collaboration being exhibited to train the first cohort of the project is highly commendable.
He said “As a nation, we recognize the indispensable role that Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (MSMEs) play as the backbone of our economy and the key drivers of economic development, hence it calls for the need to nurture and see to the growth of small scale enterprises, towards the attainment of self reliance and sustainability.”
Congratulating the beneficiaries of the training, Dr. Babalola charged them with the responsibility of seeing the training as an opportunity to retrain others.
In her remarks, the State Manager, SMEDAN, Mrs. Iyabo Ojogbede, said that the programme was aimed at empowering 80 artisans and Nano businesses in the State annually.
She emphasised that the programme is to develop the capacity of the artisans and Nano businesses to grow their businesses and employ more people thereby enhancing the economy of the State.
Ojogbede assured that the agency will continue to support more entrepreneurs in the state towards achieving the mandate of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sub-sector in the area of job creation, wealth creation and poverty alleviation.
Some business owners and beneficiaries of the project, Mr. Olalekan Abdulliah and Mrs. Yetunde Uthman, appreciated the state government and other agencies that facilitated the program being an eye-opening experience to grow their businesses.
They further urged fellow beneficiaries to make good use of the training so as to empower others.
