Business
APC support group trains over 50 women entrepreneurs
The National Progressives Hub (NPH), a support group for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has trained over 50 women entrepreneurs running Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) to enhance their financial inclusion and business growth.
The women, selected from NPH and other support groups, participated in the training held in the Asokoro area of Abuja on Tuesday.
The National Coordinator of NPH, Hon. Bukie Okangbe, stated that the event was part of activities to celebrate the 2025 International Women’s Day.
“It is a business clinic. We brought in experts and trainers to conduct the training, including facilitators from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). This initiative is designed for APC women and every party member to celebrate Women’s Month. We also want women to be aware of government policies,” she emphasized.
Kingsley Ndimele, a Business Consultant and Financial Economist, noted that while businesses in Nigeria are performing fairly well, there is significant room for improvement, particularly in addressing policy gaps, access to information, and knowledge acquisition.
“I am here to train small business owners on how to grow and scale their enterprises. Although businesses in Nigeria are making progress, challenges persist due to policies, government intervention, and the business owners themselves.
“The average Nigerian entrepreneur has the potential to perform better if key issues such as policy framework, infrastructure, and knowledge gaps are addressed. Growing a business requires a certain level of knowledge capacity. If you lack that capacity, no matter how much funding you receive, you may not succeed,” he explained.
He also highlighted the issue of funding as a shared responsibility between the government and entrepreneurs.
“The Nigerian government has been supporting MSMEs through funding and capacity-building initiatives. However, the question remains: Are Nigerian entrepreneurs ready to maximize these opportunities? Do they meet the eligibility criteria?” he asked.
A representative of the Director-General of SMEDAN, Peter Adeshina, stated that the training aimed to educate small business owners on structuring their enterprises to access available opportunities.
“SMEs are critical to economic prosperity and growth, and our role is to support them. A business clinic is like a medical clinic—when you visit, you receive treatment, feel revitalized, and can then expand and succeed.
“Our objective here is to provide guidance on structuring businesses for growth. Currently, finance in Nigeria is costly due to high interest rates. However, there are measures SMEs can take to secure affordable loans and grants.
“For instance, formalizing a business—something as simple as registering it—can determine whether one can access opportunities or not. Business owners should also open dedicated business accounts to establish a credit history, making them more trustworthy to investors,” he advised.
He also expressed optimism that the training would enhance SMEs’ operations.
“At the end of this event, we expect SMEs to function more effectively. With the information provided, they will be able to restructure their businesses, abandon ineffective practices, and embrace growth.
“Accessing SMEDAN opportunities requires registration with the agency. Fortunately, SMEDAN has state offices nationwide where business owners can seek support. We anticipate that, after this exercise, more entrepreneurs will be better positioned for success,” he added.
Also, the Senior Special Adviser to the Minister of State for Industry, Trade, and Investment, Adeshile Deji, encouraged the trainees to engage in continuous capacity-building programs from relevant agencies to enhance their skills and business operations.
