Tinubu Building Enterprise-Driven Economy as MSMEs Create Over 60 Million Jobs – Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is laying the foundation for a sustainable, enterprise-driven economy by empowering Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through infrastructure, grants, financing and business-friendly reforms.

Speaking at the 8th National MSME Awards in Abuja on Saturday, Shettima said the government’s vision is to decentralise economic opportunities and ensure prosperity reaches communities across the country.

Represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, the Vice President said the administration is building an ecosystem that promotes innovation, expands access to infrastructure and removes long-standing barriers to business growth.

He described MSMEs as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, noting that they account for about 90 per cent of businesses nationwide and employ more than 60 million Nigerians.

“Through bold and innovative ideas, and through sweat and courage, our MSMEs are improving the livelihoods of Nigerians and transforming our communities through the prosperity they create,” he said.

Shettima stressed that beyond providing grants and loans, one of the major pillars of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is creating an enabling environment for small businesses to thrive.

Highlighting achievements recorded since 2023, the Vice President said the Expanded National MSME Clinics have been taken to all six geopolitical zones in partnership with state governments, enabling entrepreneurs to engage directly with regulatory agencies, financial institutions and business support organisations.

He disclosed that the Federal Government has established 21 Shared Infrastructure Facilities equipped with high-speed internet, modern machinery and collaborative workspaces, a development he said has supported the creation of about 650,000 jobs.

On access to finance, Shettima said the government has launched a ₦75 billion MSME Intervention Fund and a ₦50 billion Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme to improve funding for small businesses.

He added that the Development Bank of Nigeria has disbursed ₦874 billion to about 751,000 women- and youth-led MSMEs, while the Nigerian Export-Import Bank has provided over ₦394.88 billion in financing to export-oriented enterprises.

The Vice President also said more than 165,000 artisans have been trained under the Skill-Up Artisans Programme and equipped with resources to grow their businesses.

Shettima unveiled a new publication titled “Building Nigeria, Empowering MSMEs: A Compendium of the Federal Government’s Initiatives and Interventions for Nigerian MSME Growth,” describing it as a record of the Tinubu administration’s commitment to supporting small businesses.

He noted that the 2026 National MSME Awards, themed “Renewed Hope Edition,” introduced a policy shift from rewarding winners with physical assets such as cars and houses to providing greater cash support to help businesses expand amid changing economic realities.

Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs, Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, said the 2026 awards recognised outstanding entrepreneurs, including persons living with disabilities, across several sectors of the economy.

Also speaking, Director-General of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, represented by Mrs. Phebian Arumemi, said 13,859 entries were received from across the country, with winners emerging after a rigorous selection process covering agriculture, manufacturing, technology, fashion, furniture, leather works, creative industries, beauty and wellness, and disability-inclusive enterprises.

The event featured the presentation of awards to winners in 13 categories, with Olanreforward Foods & Farms Ltd emerging as the 2026 MSME of the Year after also winning the Nigeria Revenue Service Award for Excellence in Tax Compliance.