The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has revealed that it created a total of 90,160 jobs for unemployed youths in the first quarter of 2025.
The agency also said it supported more than 116,000 entrepreneurs nationwide with vital resources, including training, access to finance and markets, and the distribution of work tools.
It attributed the milestone to targeted empowerment programmes and strategic partnerships aimed at boosting the MSME sector.
This was disclosed in its newly released Q1 performance report, highlighting the agency’s efforts between January and March 2025 on Tuesday in Abuja.
The agency noted that its empowerment initiatives were bolstered by strong collaboration with private sector partners and members of the National Assembly.
In particular, SMEDAN worked alongside corporate organisations such as Google and Wema Bank to train thousands of entrepreneurs, equipping them with essential digital and financial literacy skills needed to thrive in today’s business landscape.
It mentioned its support in the formalisation of thousands of small businesses, helping them register with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
‘These businesses are now better positioned to access funding, participate in supply chains, and compete in local and international markets.
‘In Abuja, the agency’s Garment and Textile Hub at the Industrial Development Centre in Idu has become a model of inclusive industrial growth.
‘The hub provides fashion entrepreneurs with affordable access to modern industrial machines, steady power, solarised through a partnership with UNDP, and a safe, conducive workspace.
‘The result is increased productivity, job creation, and a pathway to scale for local designers.
‘To further support business growth, SMEDAN distributed a wide range of essential work tools, including sport utility vehicles, mini buses, laptop computers, industrial sewing machines, tricycles, and power generators, helping entrepreneurs across states start or expand their businesses.
‘In total, the agency distributed 123,743 work tools in Q1 2025, covering all 36 states of the country’, the report added.
Commenting, the SMEDAN DG, Charles Odii, said the report underscores the impact of the agency’s GROW Nigerian strategy, which is centred on providing Guidance, Resources, Opportunities, and Workforce support to small businesses across the country.
He said, ‘This report underscores the impact of our GROW Nigerian strategy, which focuses on providing Guidance, Resources, Opportunities, and Workforce support to small businesses across the country. We are deliberately mobilising and directing resources to help small businesses grow, expand, and transition into the formal sector where their contributions can be properly captured and supported. At the same time, we’re helping them improve their production processes to compete more effectively in both local and global markets. The result is more jobs, stronger businesses, and greater value unlocked within communities nationwide’.
He added, ‘We’ve also signed several strategic partnerships in Q1, which will begin to yield results in the second quarter. These collaborations are designed to expand SME access to finance, unlock value chains, and prepare Nigerian businesses to compete globally. From product quality to pricing, we are helping entrepreneurs build businesses that can serve both local and export markets.
Odii reaffirmed SMEDAN’s commitment to national development, stressing, ‘Our work is in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which focuses on fixing the fundamentals and investing in ventures that deliver real impact. With the right structure and support, Nigerian SMES can drive lasting, inclusive economic growth’.
