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SMEDAN Wants Establishment Of MSMEs Dev Bank

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The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has called for the establishment of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development Bank to address funding challenge confronting MSMEs in Nigeria.
The Director-General, SMEDAN, Dr Umar Dikko, made the call last Wednesday in Abuja at a news conference it organised to mark its 2019 “World MSMEs Day.’’
Dikko, represented by the Director, Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP), Mr Ewans Monday, said that access to affordable finance was a major challenge to the operations of MSMEs.
He described the MSMEs Development Bank as a robust and one-stop development finance institution mandated to nurture and meet the funding and business growth needs of MSMEs.
“The bank should complement existing products and services offered by commercial and other banks through comprehensive and integrated financial and business advisory services.
“Its primary role should be to contribute toward the growth of sustainable MSMEs in Nigeria,” he said.
Dikko said that the MSMEs, as the backbone of every economy globally accounted for 90 per cent of businesses and 60 per cent to 70 per cent of employment worldwide.
“MSMEs play a pivotal role in stimulating the economic growth, supporting inclusive growth, creating jobs and key vehicle in poverty reduction and improving livelihoods,’’ he said.
He recalled that in Nigeria, the National MSMEs Survey conducted by SMEDAN in partnership with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in 2013, revealed that there were about 37 million MSMEs.
Dikko said that the MSMEs employed 57.7 million persons which represented 84.02 per cent of the labour force, contributed 48.47 per cent to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 7.27 per cent to export.
He said that based on the global relevance of MSMEs, the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), made a declaration on urgent need to have a day to recognise the important roles of MSMEs in economic development.
According to him, the ICSB declaration led to the UN General Assembly resolution designating June 27 annually as the International Day for MSMEs to raise public awareness of their contribution to development.
The DG explained that the MSMEs Day was tied to Global Goal 17 –Partnership, Global Goal nine – Finance/Technology and Development/Innovation, Global Goal eight – Decent Work and Inclusive Growth.
He further said that 2019 celebration would raise awareness about the role of MSMEs in achieving the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
According to him, the event will provide recommendations and practical tools that will lead to greater investment in small businesses to bridge the gaps in finance, knowledge and skills.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2019 edition which would begin with an “Awareness Walk” in the city centre has its theme as “Big Money for Small Business: Financing the SDGs’’.

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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June 27, 2025

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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure  and equipment  modernization drive  with the development of the welfare of its personnel.
Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the  clearing  of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.
A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying,  “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.
The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.
“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”
Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.
“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.
Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President  of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

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June 27, 2025

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National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).
The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.
Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.
The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.
The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

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June 27, 2025

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In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of  NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the  Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.
The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.
“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.
Chinedu Wosu
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