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THE Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDEAN) has called for stronger collaboration among ministries, departments, and agencies towards effective implementation of the National MSME Policy.

The Managing Director of SMEDAN, Mr Olawale Fasanya, made the call in Abuja at an Inter-Agency Working Group Dialogue on the Implementation of the policy otherwise known as the National Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Policy 2021-2025.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Amb. Mariam Katagum, on June 7 inaugurated the MDA Focal Persons Group for the Implementation of the policy.

This followed the recent approval by the Federal Government, of the reviewed National Policy on MSMEs (2021-2025).

The Federal Government had approved the new policy on MSMEs which, among other things, reclassified small businesses based on their turnover rather than their assets.

Fasanya, represented by Mr Onesi-Lawani Daberuje, said that stronger collaboration among ministries, departments, and agencies was critical to entrenching inclusive development of the micro, small, and medium enterprises sub-sector.

According to him, the implementation of the policy will help build and sustain a vibrant MSMEs sector that will be the major driver of national economic growth and development.

“Another objective of the policy is to effectively deliver on employment and wealth-creation and accelerate economic growth,’’ Fasanya said.

The SMEDAN boss further said that the 2021-2025 National MSME Policy emphasised a strong implementation framework with critical on-going inputs from public-private dialogue.

He said that the public-private dialogues, organised in the form of policy implementation working groups, would provide critical support to the National Technical Implementation Committee across the different pillars of the policy.

Mr John Opaluwa, the representative of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment (FMITI), said that the importance of a national policy on MSMEs could not be over-emphasised.

According to Opaluwa, who is the Deputy Director of the Industrial Development Department in the ministry, the implementation of the policy is important because of the critical role MSMEs play in the nation’s economic development.

“It is the engine room for growth and development of any nation, and Nigeria not being an exception we will ensure that we have that benefit derived from it to ensure that our MSMEs are moved to a greater level.

“We have the backing of the government to ensure that this trickles down to state and local government level where we can reach all the MSMEs and ensure their development,’’ Opaoluwa said. (NAN)

A.I

Tags: Mr John Opaluwa Mr Olawale Fasanya Mr Onesi-Lawani Daberuje SMEDEAN