Shettima: MSMEs Boost Prosperity and Improve Living Conditions for Nigerians Under Tinubu’s Reforms

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

Vice President Kashim Shettima announced that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is constructing a sustainable, enterprise‑led Nigeria, with MSMEs enhancing livelihoods through prosperity generated by targeted infrastructure projects, business‑support grants, and economic reforms.

Speaking in Abuja yesterday at the 8th National MSME Awards, Shettima highlighted that the administration is creating an ecosystem that nurtures innovation, supplies essential infrastructure, and eliminates barriers that have historically restrained small businesses in Nigeria.

Represented by Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, the Vice President encouraged award winners and all Nigerian entrepreneurs to continue building, assuring them of government support.

“Nigeria needs your ideas, your jobs, and your leadership. I have no doubt that the federal government, along with state governments and our private‑sector partners, will continue to build an enterprise‑led nation where creativity is rewarded, small businesses grow into conglomerates, and prosperity is shared by all,” he declared.

Shettima described small businesses as the country’s engine room, noting that they improve citizens’ livelihoods and transform communities through the prosperity they generate.

“Ninety per cent of all Nigerian businesses are MSMEs. They are the largest employers of labour in this country, providing jobs for over 60 million of our people. Through bold and innovative ideas, and through sweat and courage, our MSMEs are improving the livelihoods of Nigerians and transforming our communities through the prosperity they create,” he explained.

Shettima outlined successes, noting that since 2023 the Expanded National MSME Clinics have partnered with state governments to establish clinics in all six geo‑political zones.

He explained that the clinics allow small‑business owners to engage directly with regulatory agencies, financial institutions, and business‑support organisations, receiving on‑the‑spot solutions to their challenges.

According to him, the administration has institutionalised 21 state‑of‑the‑art Shared Infrastructure Facilities, offering affordable access to high‑speed internet, modern machinery, and collaborative spaces—from digital hubs for tech innovators to shared production spaces for fashion designers—and these hubs have supported the creation of 650,000 jobs.

On financial access, he said the administration has acted decisively. Through the ₦75 billion MSME Intervention Fund and the ₦50