NITDA, SMEDAN to Collaborate for SME Development in Nigeria
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NITDA, SMEDAN to Collaborate for SME Development in Nigeria
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has announced plans for collaboration between NITDA and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to bolster support for small businesses in Nigeria.
With approximately 40 million small businesses contributing to 50 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and sustaining 70 million jobs, the collaboration aims to enhance infrastructure, digital literacy, and other essential areas.
During a courtesy visit by Charles Odii, Director General of SMEDAN, to NITDA’s corporate headquarters in Abuja, Inuwa emphasized the significance of joint programs to build a comprehensive database, providing insights for targeted interventions.
Inuwa stated, “The collaboration will facilitate the penetration of digital literacy among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to enhance productivity, aligning with the National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF).”
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Highlighting opportunities outlined in the NITDA Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0), Inuwa underscored the importance of fostering digital literacy and cultivating talents, crucial for economic growth. He emphasized the transformative potential of digital literacy, stating, “With digital literacy, a market woman can sell her goods without moving from one place to another.”
In alignment with policy objectives such as the Nigerian Startup Act, Inuwa stressed the need to strengthen policy implementation and legal frameworks to benefit SMEs, which constitute about 90 percent of the country’s workforce and more than 90 percent of businesses.
He emphasized the importance of collaboration to ensure SMEs leverage incentives within the Startup Act, particularly those utilizing innovation to drive productivity.
Drawing attention to the underutilization of existing IT hubs, Inuwa proposed leveraging these resources to bridge infrastructure gaps in unserved and underserved areas, aligning with SRAP 2.0’s aim of promoting inclusive access to digital infrastructure and services.
He noted the need for standardized benchmarks to optimize the functionality of IT hubs in serving communities effectively.
Addressing cybersecurity concerns, Inuwa emphasized the importance of developing affordable indigenous cybersecurity solutions tailored to SMEs to foster digital trust.
He emphasized the need to nurture an innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem to propel economic growth, aligning with SRAP 2.0’s SME-centric pillar.
Charles Odii, DG of SMEDAN, highlighted the agency’s ongoing digital literacy initiatives and expressed interest in aligning their curriculum with global standards and the NDLF.
Acknowledging NITDA’s role as the secretariat for the Startup Act, Odii emphasized collaboration to sensitize startups on leveraging the Act’s provisions, contributing to the shared database for registration purposes.
Odii revealed SMEDAN’s commitment to building a robust SME database and sought alignment with NITDA’s framework for data entrepreneurs, emphasizing the potential for synergy in supporting SME development in Nigeria.
