Lagos commences implementation of National Policy on MSME

Lagos State government yesterday commenced implementation of the National Policy on Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with the inauguration of the Lagos State Council on MSME.

The state also flagged off the first Lagos State MSME Exclusive fair and the ‘Purchase Made-in-Lagos: Create Employment” campaign to boost patronage for products of MSMEs.

Speaking at the inauguration of the council and the fair, Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said the establishment of the Lagos State Council on MSMEis was to ensure proper coordination of MSME subsector in the state and to key into the implementation of the National Policy on MSMEs.

Ambode, who was represented by the deputy governor, Oluranti Adebule, charged members of the Council to identify MSMEs operating in the state and recommend how the state could enhance their productivity so that they could truly serve as bedrock for the economic development of the state.

Elaborating on the functions of the Lagos State Council on MSME, state commissioner for commerce, industry and cooperatives, Rotimi Ogunleye, said the Council, among other things, would ensure that resources allocated for the support of the sector were properly and judiciously utilised.

Ogunleye, who is also the chairman of the Council said, “The Lagos State Council on MSMEs would be a platform for implementing the following five critical policy priorities of the national policy: Enabling a regulatory environment that supports MSMEs; Fostering MSME growth and profitability by promoting clusters; Facilitating business support services and creating demand for MSMEs’ products and services; Improving access to financial support for MSMEs.

“Others are raising broad-based awareness and appreciation for Entrepreneurship and equip a new generation of entrepreneurs with requisite business management skills; and Ensuring , through adequate vocational, technical and entrepreneurship training institutions, an adequately skilled workforce that can effectively support the growth of the MSMEs subsector in partnership with strategic MDAs at the federal, state and local government levels; the private sector and the civil society.”

Speaking on the   first Lagos MSME Exclusive fair, Ogunleye said the fair was a marketing intervention programme for showcasing indigenous MSME products. He said the fair includes a strategic partnership with Konga Online Shopping Limited, aimed at enhancing market access and global visibility for indigenous entrepreneurs and industrialists through direct listing of their brands for sale on Konga Mall e-commerce platform starting with exhibitors at the trade fair.

“Aside listing exhibitors on Konga platform for market access and global visibility, this fair would also foster quality comparison and innovative improvements among participating exhibitors for local and international competitiveness,” he said.