By Felix Khanoba
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have agreed to strengthen collaboration on youth empowerment, cybersecurity and responsible entrepreneurship as part of efforts to equip young Nigerians with skills for productive economic engagement.
The proposed partnership followed a courtesy visit by the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Mr. Charles Odii, to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, in Abuja.
A statement by Head, Corporate Affairs Unit of SMEDAN, Moshood Lawal, on Wednesday, said under the arrangement, both institutions will pursue joint capacity-building initiatives and knowledge sharing, including plans to incorporate relevant aspects of the ICSS curriculum into the EFCC’s cybersecurity training programmes.
The two agencies will also explore the participation of EFCC officials in selected SMEDAN training programmes, particularly those designed to promote cybersecurity awareness, financial responsibility and ethical business practices among young people and entrepreneurs.
Olukoyede commended SMEDAN’s youth-oriented interventions, saying the agency’s efforts were providing young Nigerians with skills and opportunities capable of positively transforming their lives.
He also acknowledged the agency’s increasing emphasis on youth development through capacity-building and empowerment programmes, noting that such interventions could help provide young Nigerians with the knowledge and opportunities needed to become productive contributors to the economy.
According to him, such initiatives would also help steer young people away from negative activities capable of damaging the country’s economy and image.
The proposed collaboration is expected to strengthen the connection between enterprise development and financial crime prevention by ensuring that emerging entrepreneurs acquire not only the skills required to establish and expand businesses but also an understanding of legal and ethical obligations.
It will further expose young entrepreneurs to the importance of cybersecurity and protection of their businesses as commercial activities increasingly move into the digital space.
Speaking during the engagement, Odii stressed the need for stronger partnerships among government institutions to effectively implement President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly for the country’s growing youth population.
He said youth empowerment required more than the provision of technical skills, stressing the importance of combining access to opportunities with mentorship, digital knowledge, financial literacy and responsible enterprise practices.
The SMEDAN chief executive maintained that a holistic approach was necessary to prepare young Nigerians to take advantage of economic opportunities while conducting their businesses responsibly.
The AUTHORITY reports that the collaboration between the two institutions is expected to provide a platform for integrating enterprise development with financial crime awareness, cybersecurity education and ethical business practices.
