By Felix Khanoba
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has launched a capacity-building programme for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) operating in clusters across Kano State, as part of efforts to improve their productivity, competitiveness and sustainability.
The initiative, implemented under the agency’s Enterprise Cluster Development (ECD) programme, is designed to strengthen businesses through technical support, improved production methods and enhanced management capacity.
Speaking at the inauguration, Kano State Manager of SMEDAN, Bashir Jamfalam, who represented the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Charles Odii, said the programme would provide participating enterprises and their cluster associations with practical skills, modern production technologies and business management knowledge needed to improve efficiency and product quality.
He noted that the intervention is also expected to position local businesses to access wider opportunities in both domestic and international markets.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by SMEDAN’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Moshood Lawal, Odii described enterprise clusters as critical drivers of MSME development, saying they encourage collaboration among businesses while reducing production costs.
He added that strengthening cluster-based enterprises would enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian products, particularly within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The agency also announced plans to promote environmentally sustainable industrial development by identifying viable enterprises for solar-powered energy solutions and other clean energy initiatives. The renewable energy intervention is expected to lower operating costs while encouraging environmentally responsible production.
SMEDAN said the ECD programme aligns with global industrial development standards promoted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), with a focus on expanding economic opportunities, reducing poverty and creating jobs, especially for women and young people.
Beyond Kano, the programme is also being implemented in Delta State. The agency expressed optimism that the intervention would improve the profitability of participating businesses, strengthen the visibility of enterprise clusters and increase the contribution of MSMEs to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through industrialisation and economic diversification.
