Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has secured a 12 million-dollar commitment from the South Korean Government to establish a Skills Acquisition Centre in Abuja to boost entrepreneurship and strengthen Nigeria’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The Director-General of SMEDAN, Mr Charles Odii, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday to commemorate the 2026 World MSME Day with the theme: “Empowering MSMEs through Innovation and Sustainable Industrial Development.”
Odii said the proposed centre would provide vocational and entrepreneurial training for thousands of young Nigerians and improve the productive capacity of small businesses across the country.
He said the agency was awaiting the allocation of land by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to commence the project.
According to him, SMEDAN is determined not to allow Nigeria to lose the opportunity presented by the South Korean Government’s intervention.
“We need land in the FCT to build the Skills Acquisition Centre. If the FCT Administration is unable to provide one, we will use our office premises in Idu, Abuja, because we do not want Nigeria to miss this 12 million-dollar commitment and opportunity offered by the Korean Government to support skills and vocational training,” he said.
Odii described MSMEs as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, noting that the agency’s interventions were aimed at empowering small businesses to drive employment and economic growth.
“Small businesses are the heartbeat of Nigeria’s economy. They contribute significantly to employment generation and economic growth.
“By providing infrastructure, skills and financing, we are creating an enabling environment for them to grow, thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development,” he said.
The SMEDAN boss also announced the launch of a N500 million zero-interest Grow Fund to improve access to affordable finance for MSMEs.
He said the facility would be disbursed through cooperative societies, trade associations and business membership organisations under a revolving loan arrangement.
Odii explained that the association-based lending model was designed to improve accountability, ensure effective monitoring and guarantee that funds reached genuine entrepreneurs.
“We visited traders at the market because it is not enough to sit in offices and formulate policies without understanding the realities of the people we are meant to serve.
“We met with butchers, pepper sellers, vegetable traders, provision store owners and market leaders, and they all said one thing: they need access to affordable finance.
“That was why we immediately decided to launch the N500 million Grow Fund. We are not giving the money directly to individuals. We are giving it to associations that know their members and can monitor how the funds are used,” he said.
According to him, beneficiaries will access loans ranging from N250,000 to N500,000, depending on their business needs, without paying interest.
“The funding is meant to support and improve businesses. It should be used for working capital, workspaces, tools and other productive business needs.
“It is a revolving fund. When one beneficiary repays, another entrepreneur can access the same money. This way, the impact of the intervention continues to expand and more small businesses can benefit,” he added.
Odii said the agency planned to expand the fund through partnerships with state governments, development partners and financial institutions willing to provide matching funds.
He also disclosed that SMEDAN had commenced consultations on a new National MSME Policy, expected to be relaunched in November, to strengthen the policy framework for the sector.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting small businesses through skills development, access to finance and policies that would enhance their competitiveness and contribution to Nigeria’s economic development.
