Determined to make Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as the fulcrum of development in Nigeria and Africa, the Federal Government has inaugurated a multi sector planning committee for the maiden International SME Expo scheduled for the first quarter of next year in Nigeria.
Inaugurating the Committee in his office, the Acting Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Ajiya Mamman, reminded the members of the committee that the Expo is “aimed at providing a continental forum for policy formulation and exchange of ideas on fostering synergy within the African SME sector, as participants would be drawn from all the continents.
He added that the maiden SME Expo will provide a platform for positive engagements among stakeholders and promote an avenue to draw up a holistic framework directed at addressing the challenges of the sector. He noted that issues relating to challenges on specific products ranging from standardisation, packaging, competitiveness, etc would be addressed in line with global best practices.
While planning, the acting Permanent Secretary enjoined the committee to focus on overcoming the barriers to affordable financing, employment generation, development of SME industrial clusters, export promotion, technological advancement and value addition to products emanating from the sector.
He added: “the Federal Government is committed to addressing the challenge currently facing SMEs sector,” adding: “the on-going efforts would be towards enhancing the development of the supply base and value –chain as a means of boosting rural income and export volume as well as creating employment opportunities and wealth creation for the Citizenry.”
The 27-man committee comprised representatives from Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Science & Technology, Small Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Bank of Industry (BoI), Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Nigeria Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Nigeria Association of Small Scale Industry (NASSI), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) among others.
The committee is expected mobilise speakers and resource persons within and across the globe, mobilise resources, exhibition both national and international, determine the content and package of the event similar to any foreign SME Expo. It is also to develop roadmap to address the challenges faced by the SME sector among other issues necessary for the success of Expo.
The committee will mobilise dignitaries, speakers and resource persons for the Expo as well as exhibitors both nationally and internationally.
No comments:
Post a Comment