Shettima Highlights MSME Investment as Tool for Economic Growth and Poverty Alleviation

Vice President Kashim Shetima stated Wednesday that the federal government was consciously funding the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Clinics initiative due to its potential to create jobs, alleviate poverty, and make a substantial contribution to the GDP of the nation.

Shettima gave an explanation of the initiative’s role in President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to unleash the potential of Nigeria’s small business sector, while speaking at the seventh Expanded National MSME Clinics in Akure, the capital of Ondo State.

Dr. Lucky Ayadatiwa, the governor of Ondo State, said the MSME clinics were a timely intervention that complemented the state’s initiatives to encourage sustainable growth and entrepreneurship.

Similarly, the governor of Ekiti State, Mr. BiodunOyebanji, praised the federal government for its ongoing support of the MSME clinics program, calling it a historic step that matched national progress with true grassroots development.

Shettima emphasized that the clinics were intended to provide real-time assistance for entrepreneurs, remove obstacles in business registration and regulation, and bring government offices closer to the people.

Regardless of where they lived, he stated, the objective was to guarantee that all Nigerians had access to the resources and chances required to establish and expand a sustainable firm.

Shettima commended the Ondo State government for organizing the seventh MSME clinics and urged the participants to use the opportunity to expand their businesses.

The MSME clinics, according to Ayadatiwa, are a timely intervention that supports the state’s initiatives to encourage entrepreneurship and sustainable growth.

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He claimed that as small enterprises were the backbone of the nation, any effort to assist them should be commended and supported by all parties involved.

Ondo State’s selection to host the seventh Expanded MSME Clinics edition delighted Aiyedatiwa, who also said it was a glaring example of the federal government’s inclusive governing style.

He gave the attendees his word that his administration was dedicated to removing obstacles to company expansion by means of better infrastructure, reformed laws, and easier access to financing.

Oyebanji expressed gratitude to the federal government for its ongoing assistance to small businesses under the MSME clinics program. The effort, he said, was a historic step that complemented real grassroots growth nationwide.

According to the governor, the effort demonstrated President Bola Tinubu’s comprehension of the contribution MSME made to industrialization, job development, and poverty alleviation.

The MSME Clinics were maintained by the Office of the Vice President, which Oyebanji praised for being the first government to consciously integrate growth with development.

By empowering local entrepreneurs and releasing the potential of small enterprises, he expressed hope that the project would have a significant influence on the Nigerian economy. He also stated that his government is still completely dedicated to fostering an atmosphere that is conducive to business and assisting MSMEs.

“Your Excellency, I am going to begin by thanking the federal government for this initiative,” Oyebanji said to the vice president. Since our visit to Ekiti State last year, things have changed, and I’m sure that Ondo State would be no exception.

Without holding back, this is the first time a government has tried to match development with growth. In the past, this nation has typically had strong microeconomic indicators, such as GDP, which indicate expansion but lack of progress.

“However, since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu joined MSME Clinics, a concerted effort has been made to match development with growth, and we are incredibly grateful to the Federal Government for this.”

Oyebanji also reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to guarantee the continuous supply of essential food items to state residents throughout the year. In the state capital of Ado-Ekiti, he revealed this at the formal opening of the “OunjeEkiti Retail Outlet” and the “Ilu Eye Aggregation Hub.”

He went on to say that one of his administration’s top priorities was to fulfill Tinubu’s directive that the state must urgently rise beyond poverty and hunger by making sure that 100% of the food consumed in Ekiti was local.

According to Oyebanji, his government has invested more over N50 billion in agribusiness since its founding. According to him, his goal was to make Ekiti the nation’s food basket by establishing a system and method for food supply that would guarantee food security and provide access to affordable food items.

The project, he claimed, was a calculated move to address long-standing issues in the agriculture industry, cutting down on food storage losses and ineffective market leaks.

The Ekiti State Food Security Committee was established to enhance the state’s food supply, and the governor stated that the initiative was one of its suggestions.