The Small and Medium The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has launched a capacity development programme for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) operating within business clusters in Kano State.
The initiative, implemented under the agency’s Enterprise Cluster Development (ECD) Programme, is designed to improve the competitiveness, productivity and sustainability of participating enterprises.
Speaking at the programme’s inauguration on behalf of the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Mr. Charles Odii, the agency’s Kano State Manager, Bashir Jamfalam, said the intervention will provide cluster members and their associations with practical technical assistance, modern production techniques and enhanced business management capabilities.
According to him, the training is expected to improve product quality, boost operational efficiency and expand access to both local and international markets.
He noted that enterprise clusters remain a strategic platform for accelerating MSME development by encouraging collaboration, reducing production costs and improving business performance.
He added that strengthening these clusters will help position Nigerian products to compete more effectively under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
As part of the programme, SMEDAN will identify qualified enterprises for renewable energy interventions, including the installation of solar power systems.
The clean energy initiative is expected to lower operating costs while promoting environmentally sustainable business practices across participating clusters.
The ECD programme is aligned with internationally recognised industrial development principles promoted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), with a focus on driving inclusive economic growth, reducing poverty and creating employment opportunities, particularly for women and young people.
SMEDAN disclosed that the programme is also being implemented in Delta State, expressing confidence that the intervention will deliver measurable economic benefits.
Expected outcomes include improved profitability for participating businesses, stronger brand visibility for enterprise clusters and a greater contribution by MSMEs to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through industrialisation and economic diversification.
