Sokoto govt, UNIDO to establish EDC For MSMEs

The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has said that the state government would partner the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to establish Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC) in the state.

The Governor disclosed this at the first edition of the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Day Commemoration in Nigeria, held in Sokoto, recently.

This year’s MSMEs Day commemoration,organized by UNIDO in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, was themed, “ Promoting MSMEs’ Compliance to Conformity Assessment and Standards Requirements in the Trade Facilitation Agreement for Economic Growth in Nigeria.”
Tambuwal noted that the proposed EDC, which would be established in partnership with UNIDO, would provide entrepreneurial skills training for existing and potential entrepreneurs in the state in order to assist them to organize and manage their businesses in the most effective, efficient and profitable way.

Governor Tambuwal, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary , Sokoto State Ministry of Commerce , Industry and Tourism, Alhaji Bande Mohammed Rikina, said: ”As part of efforts to address the major challenges hindering the sustainable growth and development of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises in Sokoto State, the State Government, through the Sokoto State Small and Medium Enterprises Development and Microfinance Agency (SOSMEDA),is collaborating with UNIDO to implement the Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs (LIFE) Project in Sokoto State.

“UNIDO has already trained a Master Trainer and 10 other Trainers who will be involved in the provision of Business Development Support Services to entrepreneurs across the state. The partnership with UNIDO will lead to the establishment of an Entrepreneurship Development Centre which will offer entrepreneurial skills development training to entrepreneurs to enable them effectively manage their businesses.”
Speaking during her keynote address, the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, said the Federal Government is committed to working with all stakeholders to address the challenges militating against the growth and development of MSMEs in Nigeria.

In his address, the UNIDO Representative to ECOWAS and Regional Director, Nigeria Regional Office Hub, Jean Bakole, said that the commemoration of MSMEs Day was in recognition the pivotal role which MSMEs play in global economic development, and assured that UNIDO would continue to partner with the Federal and State Governments, Organized Private Sector , Donor Agencies, financial institutions and other stakeholders to support the development of MSMEs in Nigeria.