ABUJA — The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) are exploring fresh areas of collaboration to improve investment, mentorship and growth opportunities for young Nigerian entrepreneurs.
The development followed a high-level meeting between SMEDAN Director-General, Mr Charles Odii, and the Executive Secretary of NIPC, Aisha Rimi, who led a delegation to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
The meeting examined measures to create a more supportive business environment for young entrepreneurs seeking to establish, expand and compete in domestic and international markets.
A major focus of the discussions was the need to attract more investment into youth-led enterprises while strengthening mentorship programmes capable of equipping emerging business owners with the skills, networks and structures required to achieve sustainable growth.
The two agencies also reviewed preparations for the proposed SMEDAN-NIPC Summit, with officials identifying areas through which the event could foster stronger institutional cooperation, facilitate investment opportunities and reinforce Nigeria’s enterprise development ecosystem.
The engagement emphasised the importance of providing young entrepreneurs with access to capital, technical knowledge, mentorship, business networks and market opportunities.
The agencies noted that strengthening youth-led businesses could contribute to job creation, innovation and broader economic development.
SMEDAN and NIPC subsequently reaffirmed their commitment to sustained collaboration, with both institutions expected to continue exploring initiatives aimed at expanding opportunities for Nigerian businesses and strengthening the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
