Tinubu Pledges Support To Unlock MSME Potentials
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged his administration’s commitment to providing the necessary support for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to unlock their full potential and ensure their long-term success.
He made this promise at the 2023 Edition of the Lagos International Trade Fair (LITF) organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Friday in Lagos.
The event, which has its theme, “Connecting Businesses, Creating Value”, attracted thousands of exhibitors and visitors from various sectors of the economy.
Tinubu, who was represented by Mrs Lucia Shittu, Chief Executive Officer, Tafawa Balewa Square Management Board (TBSMB), said the government recognised the vital role that MSMEs play in the Nigerian economy, as they are the lifeblood of economic prosperity.
He said the government would continue to create policies and provide access to finance capacity-building initiatives that would empower these enterprises to reach new heights of success.
He also emphasised the need for MSMEs to embrace technology and, innovation and adapt to evolving consumer demand to to be better positioned not just as participants in the global marketplace but as leaders and innovators, setting the pace for others to follow.
“Let us forge ahead, with determination, resilience, and a shared vision for a Nigeria that stands tall on the world stage,” he said.
In his remarks, the Governor of Lagos, Mr Babajide Sanwo-olu, said the event’s theme showed the importance of businesses connecting, knowing fully well that no business organisation could survive on its own.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Commissioner of r, Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperative, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medem, said the fair provided another huge 10-day window for businesses to showcase their products and services, gain great marketing mileage and fresh opportunities for networking with other businesses.
He said the platform was timely, very strategic, and transformative as it would further build the investment ecosystems to support more competitive investment opportunities in Nigeria.
He noted that while some would describe the youth population as a challenge to be managed, he called it a great potential to be unleashed in the state and nation at large.
He said there was a need for a different approach to attract potential investors, both in Lagos and across the country.
He reassured the participants that the Lagos State Government would continue to be their partner in progress towards ensuring ng conducive business environment for investments to thrive in the state.
He said the government was aware that its quest to move Lagos from Nigeria’s biggest commercial city to become a mega or smart city, running 21st-century economic dynamics, would depend, to a large extent, on its political will to effectively tackle various challenges confronting businesses.
“For us, we see the challenges as great opportunities for further investment and our administration is not only working assiduously to change the narratives, we are also ready to work with willing investors.
“This will help to expand the infrastructure for the benefit of our businesses in particular, our state and nation in general,” he said. (NAN)
