NASME to set up Women Entrepreneurship Group

Ina bid to enhance the business activities of Nigerian women and prepare them to tap into various funding windows in and outside the country, the new leadership of the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) is planning to set up a special group called NASME Entrepreneurship Group.

This was disclosed by the newly elected president and chairman of council, Degun Agboade, at a press briefing, weekend in Lagos.

According to Agboade, the new leadership will identify relevant organisations in both public and private sectors and engage them on the need to create conducive operating environment for the growth of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

He said by so doing, the new executive of NASME will galvanise MSME stakeholders in supporting bills that will be sent to respective legislative bodies to address policy defects that are inimical to the development of this category of business.

“Among many challenges of the sector, funding appears to be more critical and as such the new Governing Council will not rely on occasional handout with unattainable conditions often rolled out by the commercial banks, but will engage the executive and legislative arms to approve policies that will not only bring down the cost of funds but provide a window for continuous pool of funds for MSMEs to access with conditions similar to what is obtainable in developed economies,” the president said.

He further said that the new council will reinvigorate its internally fund generating capacity to cushion the shortfall from public sector funds for enterprise development.

He also stressed the need for capacity upgrade of members, pointing out that the new council will be engaging more development partners towards quick realisation of the project.

While assuring on purposeful and transparent leadership, the president said the council will institute an endowment fund project to build a permanent structure and a resource centre that will house the association and provide a conducive environment for training, workshops, seminars, exhibitions, information gathering and research work as well as meetings and conferences.

“A robust website and portal system with latest solution providing applications are being designed to ensure that all businesses are brought to the fold of the association with a touch of the computer button. All informal businesses will be targeted and efforts are in top gear towards the realisation of this project,” he stated.

Apart from the president, other members of the executive include: Abdul Rasheed Yerima (deputy president, north); Marcel Nlemigbo (deputy president, south); Bala Othman Suleiman( zonal vice president, north east); among many others.

ODINAKA ANUDU