Today, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu received the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mr. Charles Odii, at Lagos House, Marina. The visit marked a significant step toward enhancing collaboration between Lagos State and federal agencies in supporting small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), which are widely acknowledged as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy.
During the meeting, Governor Sanwo-Olu reiterated the critical role that SMEs play in driving innovation, creating jobs, and stimulating economic growth. He emphasized that empowering small businesses is central to achieving sustainable development and inclusive prosperity, especially in a state as economically dynamic as Lagos.
“Our small and medium-scale businesses are the real drivers of the Nigerian economy,” the governor said. “Their resilience and innovation power the growth we see across various sectors. We must continue to support them with the right policies, access to funding, infrastructure, and capacity development.”
The discussions with the SMEDAN DG focused on strengthening institutional support for MSMEs through collaboration on training, funding opportunities, business formalization, and market access. Both parties agreed on the need to streamline efforts to make it easier for entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses in the state.
Mr. Charles Odii commended Lagos State’s commitment to enterprise development and highlighted the importance of aligning federal and state-level initiatives to better serve entrepreneurs. He noted that SMEDAN is keen to partner with Lagos on impactful programs that will directly benefit MSMEs across sectors.
Governor Sanwo-Olu welcomed the proposed areas of collaboration and assured Mr. Odii of Lagos State’s readiness to work with SMEDAN in creating a more enabling environment for business growth.
As Nigeria looks to diversify its economy and reduce unemployment, strengthening the SME ecosystem remains a top priority for the Lagos State government. The administration continues to invest in policies and partnerships that promote entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, and economic resilience.
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