The German Consulate in Lagos has reaffirmed its dedication to bolstering enterprise development in Nigeria. This initiative aims to support micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and was highlighted during the GROW Nigeria National MSME Conference. The conference was organized by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and received funding from the German Government, along with contributions from Denmark, Switzerland, and the European Union.
Katharina Ziegler, the Deputy Consul-General of Germany in Lagos, emphasized that enterprise development is a critical priority within Germany’s development cooperation framework with Nigeria. She noted that through partnerships with SMEDAN, GIZ’s Digitalisation Service Points have helped more than 1,200 MSMEs incorporate digital solutions, thus enhancing their competitiveness. Additionally, the Inspire, Create, Start and Scale (ICSS) program has trained over 40,000 entrepreneurs, with more than 30,000 acquiring vocational skills and 7,000 securing employment from 2018 to 2023.
Ziegler mentioned the collaborative efforts with Nigerian institutions and private sector partners to strengthen enterprises, improve access to finance, and encourage business reforms, highlighting the importance of creating an environment that fosters innovation and larger market access for Nigerian businesses.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of Lagos State, expressed his administration’s commitment to fostering initiatives that promote business growth, indicating that the state government’s participation in the conference was to identify opportunities for business development.
In his opening remarks, SMEDAN Director General Charles Odii discussed the organization’s achievements over the past year, noting that SMEDAN has trained 1,765,000 businesses and that the current conference aims to build upon these successes to further support the development and expansion of small enterprises.
