POLITICS TODAY

By Nasir Dambatta

The Director General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mr. Charles Odii, has hailed Kaduna State as the best-performing state in SME support, commending Governor Uba Sani’s administration for its unprecedented strides in empowering small businesses.

Speaking at the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SMEDAN and the Kaduna State Government, Odii praised the state’s transformation in entrepreneurial development. He noted that the number of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Kaduna had surged from under 20,000 to over 180,000 in just two years—a leap he described as a model for economic inclusion in Nigeria.

The MoU, signed by Governor Uba Sani and Mr. Odii, formalizes a ₦1 billion Matching Fund Program, jointly funded by SMEDAN and the Kaduna State Government, with each contributing ₦500 million. The fund will provide accessible and affordable financing to nano, micro, and small enterprises across Kaduna.

The initiative will be implemented by the Kaduna State Enterprise Development Agency (KADEDA), which will manage the disbursement and ensure the fund reaches targeted entrepreneurs across both urban and rural communities.

Governor Uba Sani outlined three core objectives of the partnership:

To empower NMSEs with affordable capital for working capital and asset acquisition.

To build a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem that promotes innovation and inclusive growth.

To create sustainable jobs and reduce poverty statewide.

He emphasized that by addressing financial exclusion, unemployment, and insecurity through enterprise development, Kaduna is laying the foundation for a productive and resilient economy.

“We remain resolutely committed to delivering tangible results,” Uba Sani said. “Through sustained innovation and strategic partnerships like this, we will unlock economic opportunities and build a prosperous Kaduna State.”