The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, Tuesday, commissioned the federal government’s state-of-the-art Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Hub for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, as well as the newly refurbished State Library Complex housing the hub.
Shettima in a statement issued Tuesday by my his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha said the ICT hub was part of the pledge by President Bola Tinubu to support every venture that summons the courage to redefine the future of work, skills, and industries in Nigeria.
The Vice President also commissioned two newly acquired Bombardier CRJ1000 regional jets (100-seat capacity each) for use by the state-owned airline – Cally Air.
He further launched the 8th Expanded National MSME Clinics in the state, saying it was part of efforts by the Tinubu administration to bring the federal government’s support directly to the doorstep of businesses across the country.
Speaking in Calabar during the launch of the MSME clinic, Shettima announced the disbursement of N250,000 unconditional grants each to outstanding business owners in Cross River State, as part of ongoing efforts to support MSMEs across the country.
He saidd: “The MSME Clinics, such as the one we launch today, are designed to bring the Federal Government’s support directly to your doorstep. Here, entrepreneurs can interact with the Corporate Affairs Commission, NAFDAC, the Bank of Industry, SMEDAN, and other critical agencies. Here, challenges are met with solutions, not promises deferred.
“And because excellence must be rewarded, I am pleased to announce, on the directive of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that each outstanding MSME exhibiting here today will receive an unconditional grant of ₦250,000. This is not a loan. It is a gift to accelerate your journey.”
Shettima drew attention to other interventions under the Tinubu administration such as the creation of a N75 billion MSME Intervention Fund being administered by the Bank of Industry (BoI), and a N50 billion Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme to support one million nano businesses across the 774 local government areas of Nigeria with grants of N50,000 each, and N75 billion Manufacturers Fund for manufacturers to access up to N1 billion in funding at a 9 percent interest rate.
Noting that at least one manufacturer in Cross River State would have benefited from the N75 billion fund already, the VP said the commitments being made are not just confined to loans and grants, even though they are critical.
“We are here in pursuit of our promise to build an ecosystem that eases the struggles of our entrepreneurs, provides the infrastructure that fuels creativity, and unleashes the innovative spirit of our people,” he declared.