By Felix Khanoba
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has urged participants in the Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship (ACE) Project’s Training of Trainers programme to play a leading role in nurturing a new generation of innovative, technology-driven and globally competitive entrepreneurs across the country.
The call was made at the commencement of the two-week intensive training programme in Abuja by the Director of the Director-General’s Office, Onesi-Lawani, who represented the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Mr. Charles Odii.
According to a statement issued by the agency’s Head of Corporate Affairs Unit, Moshood Lawal, the training is aimed at equipping selected participants with the skills required to mentor aspiring entrepreneurs capable of building scalable and investment-ready businesses.
Congratulating the participants, Onesi-Lawani revealed that the programme attracted more than 1,100 applications nationwide. Following a rigorous screening process conducted by the Project Management Consortium (PMC), 80 candidates were shortlisted across the Business Management and Artificial Intelligence tracks, while 30 applicants eventually emerged successful after a second round of interviews.
He explained that the successful participants would be certified as ACE trainers and entrusted with the responsibility of guiding young Nigerians to harness technology, innovation and creativity in building sustainable enterprises with global appeal.
Onesi-Lawani noted that although considerable funding opportunities are available for startups in Nigeria, the country continues to face a shortage of investment-ready businesses capable of attracting such capital. He therefore encouraged the trainees to focus on producing entrepreneurs with the capacity to establish scalable ventures that can compete internationally.
He identified Fintech, Agritech, Healthtech, Logistics and Mobility, as well as the Creative Economy—including digital media, fashion, gaming, animation and film—as priority sectors offering significant opportunities under the ACE Project.
While highlighting Nigeria’s status as Africa’s leading startup ecosystem and home to five of the continent’s eight unicorn companies, he challenged the participants to contribute to transforming Nigerian youths into globally competitive entrepreneurs capable of creating billion-dollar enterprises and supporting the nation’s ambition of becoming one of the world’s ten largest economies.
He also expressed optimism that the intensive two-week programme would strengthen participants’ resolve to advance the objectives of the ACE Project while contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.
The AUTHORITY reports that the Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship (ACE) is a flagship entrepreneurship and innovation initiative of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), implemented in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
The project is designed to deepen Nigeria’s entrepreneurship ecosystem through entrepreneurship education, digital innovation, business incubation and acceleration, institutional capacity building, and policy support.
ACE is also focused on identifying and nurturing young Nigerians with innovative ideas and high-growth potential by providing them with the knowledge, practical skills, mentorship and networks needed to establish scalable and globally competitive businesses.
