“Nigeria must create jobs and the enabling environment to engage our youths if we are to guarantee Peace and Security in the country.”
In a keynote address delivered by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah represented by the Minister of State, Hajia Aisha Abubakar, the Minister stressed that the present Administration promised to use the Change Agenda of Government to create a conducive and corruption free environment for local and international business to thrive in Nigeria. Dr. Enelamah assured that the Agencies under him – Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEADAN), Bank of Industry (BoI), Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and others have been working in collaboration with other relevant Agencies to provide the required entrepreneurial skills as well as develop appropriate financial packages needed by Nigerian entrepreneurs to start their business.
The Minister enumerated some of the programmes to include: Train-to-work-programme, Growing Enterprises Leaders Programme and revamping of existing Industrial Development Centres. He noted the expansion in functions with expected outcome to include: 800, 000 trained individuals, 50, 000 SMEs assisted per hub, 50, 000 -100, 000 jobs created per annum as well as 276, 000 business start-ups that will be accelerated.
Dr. Enelamah said his immediate priority is to make manufacturing much more competitive and vibrant than what is presently on ground; adding that manufacturing and industrial sector development was critical to employment generation, wealth creation and general economic transformation.
In his goodwill message, the Secretary-General of the UN, Ban Ki Moon represented by the UNIDO Rep. in Nigeria, Dr. David Tommy, said: “Africa needs to invest in training and education for women and youths to industrialize, grow the private sector and achieve sustainable development.
He added that SMEs can provide a solid foundation for sustained economic growth, job creation and poverty eradication.
Report from Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Abuja.
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