SMEDAN claims that in the year 2021 they have employed over 59 million Nigerians and 41 businesses despite 6.2% rise in unemployment rate as of 2020.
Federal government discloses that Small and Medium Enterprises employed over 59 million Nigerians and over 41 million businesses as of this year.
This was disclosed by the Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN), Dr Dikko Umaru-Radda, on Tuesday at the 2021 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Opportunity Fair in Kano.
The SME Policy boss added that the sector has many challenges to contend with in Nigeria, which limits growth in the industry.
The SMEDAN director-General said,
“Understanding that access to market is one of such challenges; SMEDAN has over the years, assiduously worked to ensure opportunity fairs are held even when it demands the development of ICT platforms.
FIRST INVESTMENT
“The annual event is usually implemented in the North and South geo-political zones of the country to further enhance Nigeria MSMEs prominence, competitiveness and development,” Umaru-Radda said.
He revealed that SMEDAN would continue to register businesses on MSMEs Mass Registration Programme Platform to enhance competitiveness among them.
Umaru-Radda also said that the 2021 MSMEs survey to be conducted by the agency, in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics, commences later this month across the country, he also discloses that so far 41 million businesses and employment of 59 million Nigerians.
TOP TAKES
Recall the last unemployment report stated that Nigeria’s unemployment rate at the end of 2020 rose to 33.3% from 27.1% recorded as of Q2 2020, indicating that about 23,187,389 (23.2 million) Nigerians remain unemployed.
