8,649 NMSMEs get grants in Kaduna

By Aisha Gambo

No fewer than 8, 649 Nano, Micro, Small , Medium Enterprises(NMSMEs) in Kaduna state have received direct grants to stay in business and promote businesses from  2024 to date.

The Managing Director, Kaduna State Enterprise Development Agency (KADEDA) , Iliya Timbuark, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Kaduna.

He stated that over N619 million grant was disbursed to business owners under the ‘A Kori Talauci Grant Scheme’, which was approved by Gov. Uba Sani.

Timbuark explained that a capacity building programme was conducted for 3,500 small business owners on business development and effective grant utilisation under the KD-CARES operational grant.

“The business literacy programme was also conducted across the three Senatorial Zones, sensitising and onboarding over 60,000 NMSMEs.

“1,280 field agents were trained and deployed to engage NMSMEs across all 23 LGAs with five agents in each ward,” he said.

According to him, the agency ,which is under the Ministry of Business Innovation and Technology (MBIT), had laid mapped out plans and projects that would boost financial inclusion and enhance the economy of the state .

Some of the projects included: Digital Ecosystem and Compliance Infrastructure’, which had to do with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) compliance portal, aimed at simplifying business registration and updating NMSMEs database.

Another proposed project is a portal to connect businesses with opportunities and services known as ‘Kaduna Enterprise Ecosystem Portal (KADEPP)’.

The managing director stated that the agency had also planned to support cooperatives and targeted entrepreneurs in partnership with the Ministry of Human Services.

Thid support included: The Tallafin Sana’o’i Na Uba Sani programme, SheCoopreneurship, which supports 2,300 women across the LGAs, Cooprenuership targeted at youths and women and Agriprenuership.

Other proposed projects were: Tech Startup Support, which would establish a regulatory framework to support technology, innovation and investment in the state and the ₦1 billion SMEDAN Matching Fund Programme.

Timbuark stated that a summit for MSMEs was on the list of the proposed projects aimed at building capacity through workshops, investment roundtable and stakeholders’ engagement to deepen access to financing and mentorship.

The managing director stated that the agency’s accomplishments aligned with MBIT’s vision of promoting entrepreneurship, technology-driven innovation, and sustainable economic advancement, thereby delivering on the state’s ‘SUSTAIN Agenda’.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)