By Julius Peter, Abuja
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has sought the support and collaboration of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to promote made-in-Nigeria products, strengthen youth entrepreneurship and expand skills-development opportunities across the country.
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Charles Odii, made the request on Wednesday in Abuja when he led a delegation from the agency on a courtesy visit to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, at the Commission’s corporate headquarters.
Odii commended the EFCC chairman for what he described as efforts to restore confidence in Nigeria, particularly in the international community, stressing that rebuilding trust was critical to the country’s economic development.
“Executive Chairman, I want to thank you. I want to start with gratitude. I want to thank you for the work that you have done in the last 34 months. You have tried to change the face of Nigeria outside Nigeria,” Odii said.
He added that the EFCC’s efforts had helped to strengthen confidence and trust in the country.
The SMEDAN boss said the agency was implementing several initiatives aimed at equipping young Nigerians with practical skills and transforming them into entrepreneurs capable of contributing meaningfully to the economy.
According to him, SMEDAN had secured approval from the Ministry of Education to establish the Inspire, Create, Start and Scale (ICSS) Institute, which would offer National Diploma programmes to young people while integrating entrepreneurship into their training.
He explained that the initiative was designed to ensure that young Nigerians do not merely acquire academic qualifications but also develop practical entrepreneurial skills that would enable them to create businesses and employment opportunities.
“We want to work with relevant stakeholders to make sure that solid entrepreneurs are produced into the Nigerian ecosystem,” he said.
Odii also highlighted SMEDAN’s intervention in correctional facilities, noting that the agency had been training inmates who were approaching the end of their sentences in various vocational and entrepreneurial skills.
He described the programme as life-changing, saying the objective was to equip beneficiaries with skills that could enable them to become productive members of society after their release.
He disclosed that SMEDAN was also working on a five-year national MSME policy which would provide a broader framework for strengthening the country’s micro, small and medium enterprises ecosystem.
According to him, the proposed policy would also address the reintegration of former inmates who had demonstrated remorse and acquired relevant skills.
He said the policy would encourage small businesses to provide employment opportunities for such individuals as part of efforts to rehabilitate them and reduce the risk of their returning to crime.
Odii further proposed a partnership between SMEDAN and the EFCC’s Cybersecurity Research and Training Centre, saying the agency was prepared to contribute relevant curriculum and technical expertise to the centre.
“I also know that you have started the Cybersecurity Research Centre. We want to introduce this curriculum to you, so that our curriculum can be embedded into the research centre,” he said.
The SMEDAN chief executive also called for closer collaboration between the two institutions in addressing youth involvement in cybercrime through skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and rehabilitation programmes.
He argued that providing young people with legitimate economic opportunities could help redirect their energy and talents towards productive ventures.
Responding, the EFCC chairman welcomed the proposal and expressed the Commission’s readiness to collaborate with SMEDAN in the areas of youth empowerment, skills development, promotion of locally produced goods and cybercrime prevention.
Olukoyede said he had been following SMEDAN’s activities and expressed confidence in the agency’s leadership and programmes.
“I have been following your activities. And I’m very proud of you. You are one of the young men that we look up to,” he said.
The EFCC chairman said developing legitimate skills and creating economic opportunities for young Nigerians were essential to addressing some of the factors driving youth involvement in cybercrime.
“I’m interested in anything that will help to develop skills for young men. Because that is one of the challenges I have,” he stated.
Olukoyede also urged Nigerians and members of the EFCC community to patronise locally manufactured and locally sourced products, stressing that supporting indigenous businesses was essential to growing the Nigerian economy.
“Support these young people. It is when these businesses grow that’s when we can grow our own nation too. And develop our own system. As long as we can patronise what we do,” he said.
The EFCC chairman advocated the development of a national policy specifically aimed at promoting Nigeria-made products, saying such a framework would encourage local production, support businesses and contribute to economic growth.
He also stressed the damaging consequences of cybercrime on Nigeria’s economy and international reputation, warning that the activities of cybercriminals could have far-reaching consequences for the country’s financial system.
“The evil these guys are doing to the image of Nigeria, to our economy is unquantifiable. Some of these guys, at the press of a button, they can bring the entire financial ecosystem down,” Olukoyede said.
He disclosed that the EFCC’s Cybersecurity Research and Training Centre was designed to build capacity in cybersecurity, adding that the facility was expected to train an average of 500 participants at a time.
According to him, the Federal Government was supporting the project because of the growing need to develop specialised capacity to tackle cyber-related crimes and protect the country’s digital and financial ecosystem.
He therefore invited SMEDAN to participate in the project from its conception through to its operationalisation.
“I want to bring you on board so that you can be part of that project from the conception to operationalisation because the nature of your mandate requires that we bring you into it,” he said.
Olukoyede also pledged the EFCC’s support for the ICSS initiative and other SMEDAN programmes focused on developing the capacity of young Nigerians.
“So, I’m with you. We’re going to support you. Your ICSS project, too. Let me know if there’s any area where we can support you,” he said.
A major highlight of the visit was the presentation of a selection of locally produced goods to the EFCC chairman by the SMEDAN delegation.
The products included hibiscus tea, coffee, wax candles, cassava biscuits and native fabrics produced under SMEDAN’s Guidance, Resources, Opportunity and Workforce (G-R-O-W) support initiative.
The presentation underscored the agency’s drive to promote indigenous enterprises and demonstrate the quality and commercial potential of products made by Nigerian entrepreneurs.
Both institutions also emphasised the need for practical and sustainable approaches to addressing youth involvement in economic and cyber-related crimes.
Olukoyede called for closer collaboration among relevant government institutions to develop interventions capable of giving young Nigerians viable alternatives to criminal activities.
“So, let us look for practical solutions that will take these young people out of that menace. Let’s compare notes. Let’s put this together to help Mr. President to succeed in his venture,” he said.
The proposed collaboration between SMEDAN and the EFCC is expected to create opportunities for greater integration of entrepreneurship development, skills acquisition, youth rehabilitation, local production and cybercrime prevention.
The engagement also highlighted the importance of linking Nigeria’s anti-corruption and financial-crime prevention efforts with programmes that expand legitimate economic opportunities for young people and strengthen the country’s MSME ecosystem.
Through stronger institutional cooperation, both agencies seek to contribute to the development of productive young Nigerians, the expansion of indigenous businesses and increased patronage of made-in-Nigeria products as part of broader efforts to strengthen the national economy.
