Abuja, Nigeria — The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have strengthened their institutional collaboration on local enterprise development, youth skills acquisition, cybersecurity awareness and the promotion of Nigerian-made products.
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Mr. Charles Odii, led a delegation of the Agency on a courtesy visit to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, in Abuja, where both institutions explored practical areas of collaboration aimed at expanding legitimate economic opportunities for young Nigerians and strengthening the country’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
A major highlight of the engagement was the presentation of the Grow Nigerian Box, a curated collection of products manufactured by Nigerian MSMEs that have benefited from SMEDAN-supported programmes. The collection featured a range of locally produced goods, including food products, beverages, candles and fabrics, showcasing the quality, diversity and growing capacity of Nigerian enterprises.
In response to the presentation, the EFCC Chairman expressed appreciation for the quality of the products and directed the Commission’s cooperative societies to commence sourcing from Nigerian MSMEs. The initiative is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Nigeria First agenda and the Federal Government’s broader efforts to strengthen domestic production and encourage greater patronage of locally made goods.
Mr. Olukoyede also encouraged other government institutions with cooperative societies to adopt a similar approach by patronising Nigerian MSMEs.
The initiative underscores the importance of creating sustainable markets for locally owned businesses. Beyond providing financial and technical support, SMEDAN is increasingly focused on connecting MSMEs with markets and institutional buyers capable of generating sustained demand for their products.
Speaking during the engagement, Mr. Odii said SMEDAN’s interventions are designed to equip Nigerians with the skills, opportunities and support required to establish sustainable enterprises and contribute meaningfully to economic development.
He also proposed deeper collaboration between SMEDAN and the EFCC Cybercrime Research and Training Centre, including the integration of relevant components of SMEDAN’s Inspire, Create, Start and Scale (ICSS) curriculum into the Centre’s training programmes.
The proposed collaboration seeks to complement the EFCC’s enforcement responsibilities with skills development, rehabilitation and economic reintegration, particularly for young people who have undergone appropriate correctional processes and require legitimate pathways into technology, entrepreneurship and productive economic activity.
The EFCC Chairman welcomed the proposal and invited SMEDAN to participate in the development and eventual operationalisation of the Cybercrime Research and Training Centre, which is expected to accommodate approximately 500 trainees at a time. He also expressed the Commission’s readiness to support SMEDAN’s ICSS initiative and other youth-focused programmes.
Mr. Olukoyede further emphasised the role of productive and legitimate enterprise development in expanding economic opportunities for young Nigerians and contributing to crime prevention by providing viable alternatives to illicit activities.
The two institutions also agreed to strengthen collaboration through knowledge sharing and joint capacity-building initiatives, including programmes focused on cybersecurity awareness, financial responsibility and ethical business practices among young people and entrepreneurs.
The engagement reinforces the shared commitment of SMEDAN and the EFCC to expanding legitimate economic opportunities for young Nigerians, strengthening Nigerian enterprises and complementing the fight against financial crime with practical pathways to skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and productive participation in the economy.