The Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) on Thursday in Abuja lifted 40 entrepreneurs with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills and laptops to boost their businesses.
The Director-General of SMEDAN, Dr Olawale Fasanya, gave the laptops to the beneficiaries at the end of a three-day ICT/digital skills training programme for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
He said that the training was to empower the youth with the knowledge and tools needed to grow their businesses.
While emphasising the importance of ICT in doing business, Fasanya said that the ICT in business assisted in the provision of tools and systems that enable efficient communication, data management, analysis and decision-making processes.
According to him, the SMEDAN training also enhances productivity, customer engagements and gives the entrepreneur a competitive advantage
“You can be in Nigeria and do business in the US. You do not necessarily have to do your business until you have a shop or a workplace in your bedroom.
“With these tools, you can do a lot of things. So, this is the idea and I am also glad,’’ he said.
Fasanya urged the beneficiaries to utilise the skills and the tools to improve their businesses, help their families and grow the nation’s economy.
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While promising that SMEDAN would continue to support beneficiaries in growing their businesses, Fasanya said that their activities would also be monitored.
“I have seen the real people that need this kind of tools to upgrade themselves and to be able to do some form of businesses and we will not leave you alone.
“You are now within our database.
“But we believe that some other programmes that will be having, we will be calling some of you to benefit. So, I want you not to take this for granted,’’ Fasanya said.
He urged them to sign-up for free digital courses on the SMEDAN website.
Earlier, the SMEDAN Manager, FCT, Mrs Mary Kolawole described the digital space as a vast place that could enhance businesses and urged the participants to explore it to better their lives.
According to her, the training is replicated in all the 36 states in the country.
Some of the beneficiaries lauded SMEDAN programmes and assured that the tools would be used judiciously.
One of the participant, Umar Abdullahi said that the training provided him with the knowledge that would facilitate his enterprise becoming more productive, increase performance and save money.
“I learnt how to use email tools, the social media, search engines and other ICT tools to market products and services,’’ Abdullahi said.
Similarly, Miss Emmanuella Ochigbo described ICT as a key to entrepreneurship development.
“It is also a key to creation of innovation giving to it benefits of job creation such as internet travelling agency, uber driving, computer technicians, business center and internet cafe, establishment of computer training centers, rural saving among others,’’ Ochigbo said.
