MSME: Edo promises greater attention to female, disabled entrepreneurs, sets aside N4b

By Florence Kalu

Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has restated the state’s resolve towards giving priority to female entrepreneurs and persons living with disabilities in the disbursement of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) development fund.

The Edo State governor Obaseki made the pronouncement while inaugurating the MSME Advisory Committee, led by Peter Obaseki at the Government House in Benin City.

Obaseki while addressing members of the panel reminded them that the state has raised N2 billion in partnership with the Bank of Industry and also has N2 billion raised by the Central Bank of Nigeria several years ago for the same purpose bringing it to N4 billion.

He stated: “We understand the impact of these sets of funds for small businesses, but we are now in the position, having completed our Data to Mega enumeration, to see where these small businesses exist; what they are doing; the challenges they face and how to help them grow.

“I tasked members of the panel to guide me on how we can deliberately channel these credits to prioritise businesses of women entrepreneurs, such that a minimum of 60 percent of the loans go to supporting female businesses because as a state, we want to make sure that we balance gender inclusiveness and inequality,” Obaseki state.