Group launches App to promote SMEs

For small and medium businesses within Oshodi-Isolo, Lagos, to get better visibility and thrive, an online platform, Oshodibusinessconnect app has been launched.

At the launch of Oshodibusinessconnect mobile app in Lagos, Executive Director, Community Life Project (CLP), and coordinator of Reclaim Naija, Ngozi Iwere, said: “The Oshodi Business Connect App is aimed at connecting informal traders and local governments using technology thereby break barriers on taxes especially for people at the local level.

“Also, lots of grassroot citizens are excluded from the digital economy. So we want to bridge that gap of their exclusion because there is so much to benefit from having their businesses online.”

She maintained that the principal goal is to make sure businesses grow, aside ensuring that no one is left behind in using technology to grow businesses. “The aim is to get a lot of micro businesses in Oshodi online for people to be able to reach them, and they can also avail themselves of resources that are online,” she said.

Chief of Party, USAID, Charles Abani, said his organisation sponsored the building of the Oshodi Business Connect App to improve transparency and accountability in the system, especially tax administration,

According to Abani, the public launch was another opportunity to underscore the role of the people and the government on taxation.

He said while the people have a responsibility of paying taxes to government, government has the duty to be accountable in its use.

Abani therefore implored the local government to be more transparent and accountable.