Institute of Entrepreneurship & Apprenticeship Management & Administration

04/09/2026

🚀 FME 2026 IS HERE!

The 2nd Edition of Finance Meets Entrepreneur is coming!

In 2025, we laid the foundation.
In 2026, we are financing the future.

This year, IEAMA brings entrepreneurs, investors, financial institutions, enterprise leaders, innovators and strategic partners together for a powerful day of connection, opportunity, learning and growth.

And for the first time, FME introduces the:

🏆 INAUGURAL FME AWARD SESSION

Celebrating excellence, innovation and impact across the enterprise ecosystem.

✨ What to expect:
🔹 High-Level Business & Finance Sessions
🔹 Investor & MFB Engagement
🔹 Strategic Networking
🔹 Enterprise Exhibition
🔹 IEAMA Membership Induction
🔹 Inaugural FME Award Session

📅 Thursday, 15th October 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM Prompt
📍 LCCI, Ikeja, Lagos

🎯 Theme:
Financing the Future: Building Resilient Enterprises for Sustainable Economic Growth.

⏳ Registration Deadline: 26th September 2026

FME 2026 — 2nd Edition
Building on the Foundation. Financing the Future.

📞 0803 232 5348 | 0905 860 1542 | 0708 387 7159

https://ieama.com.ng/fme-2026-registration-page/

IEAMA — Empowering Entrepreneurs. Transforming Economies.

04/09/2026

🚀 FINANCE MEETS ENTREPRENEUR 2026 — THE JOURNEY CONTINUES!
Something bigger is coming to Lagos!
In 2025, IEAMA launched Finance Meets Entrepreneur (FME) — a platform created to bring finance and enterprise closer together.
Now, in 2026, we are back for the 2nd Edition — bigger in vision, stronger in connections, and designed to create even more opportunities for entrepreneurs and enterprise leaders.
And this year, we are introducing something special for the first time…
🏆 THE INAUGURAL FME AWARD SESSION!
A new recognition platform celebrating excellence, innovation and impact among entrepreneurs, innovators, enterprise leaders and institutions contributing to sustainable economic growth.
WHAT'S WAITING FOR YOU?
💡 Powerful conversations on finance and business growth
🤝 Strategic networking and business connections
💰 Investor & Microfinance Bank engagement
🏢 Enterprise exhibition and business showcases
🎓 Induction of new IEAMA members
🏆 The Inaugural FME Award Session
📅 SAVE THE DATE!
Thursday, 15th October 2026
9:00 AM Prompt
📍 LCCI, Ikeja, Lagos
🎯 THEME:
“Financing the Future: Building Resilient Enterprises for Sustainable Economic Growth.”
This is where entrepreneurs meet finance, ideas meet opportunity, and partnerships become possibilities.
Whether you are an entrepreneur looking for growth, an investor seeking opportunities, a financial institution, an enterprise leader, innovator or strategic partner—
FME 2026 is where you need to be!
⏳ REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 26TH SEPTEMBER 2026
📞 0803 232 5348 | 0905 860 1542 | 0708 387 7159
🌐 www.ieama.com.ng
FME 2026 — 2ND EDITION
Building on the Foundation. Financing the Future.
IEAMA — Empowering Entrepreneurs. Transforming Economies.
👇 Tag an entrepreneur, business leader or investor who should be in the room!

Our program provides aspiring entrepreneurs and apprentices with state-of-the-art knowledge alongside practical skills and strategic leadership capabilities for effective management and administration. Our dedication lies in promoting innovative thinking,

04/09/2026

FROM AI CONSUMERS TO AI CREATORS: NIGERIA'S NEXT ENTREPRENEURIAL FRONTIER
Nigeria's artificial intelligence conversation is entering a new phase. Following the just-concluded GITEX Nigeria 2026, held across Abuja and Lagos from 31 August to 3 September, the emphasis is increasingly shifting from simply adopting foreign AI technologies to developing locally relevant solutions, building intellectual property and creating businesses capable of competing in international markets. The event brought together startups, investors, technology companies, policymakers and other ecosystem players around AI, digital infrastructure, innovation funding and the future of Nigeria's digital economy.

The scale of Nigeria's emerging AI ecosystem is significant. According to the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy ecosystem impact report, more than 700,000 Nigerians have been reached through AI-related skills and training initiatives, while more than $1.85 billion in AI infrastructure commitments has been recorded. The ecosystem report also identifies more than 120 AI ventures and several initiatives focused on AI skills, responsible AI, data infrastructure and startup development.

But the numbers raise a more important entrepreneurial question: what happens after Nigerians learn to use AI?

THE NEXT STEP IS CREATION

At GITEX Nigeria, the message from technology and business leaders was increasingly clear: Nigeria cannot afford to remain primarily a consumer of technology developed elsewhere. GITEX Global CEO Trixie LohMirmand challenged the country to move from AI consumption to AI creation, while Lagos Deputy Governor Kadri Hamzat similarly argued that Africa must become a builder of technology rather than simply a market for technologies developed elsewhere.

This distinction is crucial for entrepreneurship. Using an AI platform to write content, analyse information, automate administrative work or generate designs can improve an existing business. But building an AI-powered product that solves a specific Nigerian problem creates a completely different economic opportunity. It can generate intellectual property, attract investment, create specialised employment and potentially serve customers beyond Nigeria.

NIGERIA HAS PROBLEMS WAITING FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL SOLUTIONS

Nigeria's enormous economic and social challenges provide an equally enormous opportunity for AI entrepreneurs. Agriculture needs better intelligence around weather, crops, logistics and markets. Healthcare needs solutions that can improve access to information and services. Financial institutions need stronger fraud detection and risk-management tools. Manufacturers need predictive systems that improve productivity. Schools need affordable learning technologies. Businesses need smarter customer-service, accounting and operational systems.

The opportunity is therefore not simply to “build an AI company.” It is to identify a real problem, understand the customer, use technology intelligently and develop a solution that people are willing to pay for.

THE SKILLS GAP MUST EVOLVE

The next generation of AI entrepreneurs will require more than prompt-writing skills. They will need competencies in software development, data management, product development, business modelling, cybersecurity, research, intellectual-property protection, finance, marketing and customer acquisition.

Interestingly, GITEX Nigeria's own workshop programme reflects this evolution. Sessions included building AI applications with large language models, developing AI agents, creating AI assistants grounded in business data and understanding responsible AI adoption.

This demonstrates an important shift: AI education is moving from “how to use the tool” towards “how to build systems with the tool.”

WHERE ENTREPRENEURSHIP MEETS APPRENTICESHIP

For IEAMA, this transition has particular significance. The traditional apprenticeship principle of learning by doing remains highly relevant in the digital economy. Young Nigerians can learn AI by working on real business problems, developing prototypes, assisting technology companies, building automation systems and participating in supervised innovation projects.

A structured modern apprenticeship ecosystem could therefore help create a pipeline of young people who do not simply consume technology but understand how to build, deploy, manage and commercialise it.

This is the opportunity to connect skills development with enterprise creation: teach the skill, solve the problem, build the product, launch the business and develop the capacity to scale.

THE OWNERSHIP QUESTION

There is also a deeper economic issue. If Nigerian entrepreneurs remain dependent on foreign platforms for every important layer of the AI value chain, much of the economic value generated by the country's growing AI adoption will continue to flow outward.

Nigeria's long-term objective should therefore include developing stronger domestic capabilities in AI applications, data, research, cloud infrastructure, computing, specialised models and intellectual property. The Federal Government has already identified indigenous AI capacity and digital sovereignty as important to its ambition of building a larger technology-driven economy.

IEAMA PERSPECTIVE

Nigeria does not have an AI talent problem alone. It has a conversion problem. The country must become better at converting talent into products, products into businesses, businesses into scalable enterprises and enterprises into global companies.

Training 700,000 people to understand AI is significant. The next achievement should be seeing thousands of those people become developers, founders, product builders, consultants, technology entrepreneurs and owners of intellectual property.

The goal should not simply be to have Nigerians who know how to ask AI questions.

The goal is to have Nigerians building the systems that answer the questions.

IEAMA CALL

The future belongs to entrepreneurs who can combine technology with practical problem-solving. Nigerian businesses should embrace AI, but they should not stop at adoption. Entrepreneurs must learn to experiment, build, test, commercialise and scale.

Nigeria must move from AI consumers to AI creators. From users to builders. From technology adoption to technology ownership.

The question for every aspiring entrepreneur is no longer simply:

“How can AI help my business?”

It is also:

“What new business can I build because AI now exists?”

03/09/2026

The New Face of Entrepreneurship: Why Skills May Be More Valuable Than Grants

For years, entrepreneurship support in Nigeria has often been associated with one thing: money.

Grants. Loans. Start-up capital. Cash interventions.

But a quiet shift is taking place. Increasingly, attention is moving from simply giving people money to giving people the skills to create value, earn income and build sustainable businesses.

This shift is visible in several current initiatives across Nigeria. The Federal Government’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative, for example, focuses on practical skills for employment and entrepreneurship, with training, stipends and start-up support for selected participants. (tvet.education.gov.ng)

Similarly, the Nigerian Youth Academy is combining entrepreneurship with skills development, mentorship and access to growth opportunities, while programmes such as Lagos State’s Employability Support Programme are training young people and business owners in areas ranging from digital skills and renewable energy to leather works and enterprise development. (fmyd.gov.ng)

The message is becoming clearer:

Capital can start a business, but competence is what keeps it alive.

Giving someone ₦500,000 without teaching them how to price their products, manage cash flow, acquire customers or structure their business may provide temporary relief. Giving that same person a valuable skill can create an income-generating ability that remains useful long after the initial intervention is gone.

This does not mean grants and loans are no longer important. They remain essential, particularly for entrepreneurs who already have the capacity and business models to deploy capital effectively.

But perhaps the better question is no longer simply, “How much money can we give this entrepreneur?”

It is:

“What can we teach this person that will enable them to create value repeatedly?”

Nigeria’s entrepreneurship ecosystem needs more investment in vocational skills, digital skills, business management, mentorship and industry-relevant training. It also needs stronger connections between training and actual markets, so that acquiring a skill becomes a pathway to employment, enterprise and economic independence.

The future of entrepreneurship support may therefore not be about choosing between skills and funding, but understanding the right order:

Build the person. Develop the skill. Strengthen the business. Then provide the capital to scale.

That is how empowerment moves from temporary assistance to sustainable opportunity.

02/09/2026

NIGERIA'S STARTUP ECOSYSTEM: 10 BUSINESSES SELECTED TO SCALE ACROSS THE REAL ECONOMY

Nigeria's entrepreneurship ecosystem is showing renewed momentum as Cascador, a Nigeria-focused entrepreneur development platform, announces its 2026 cohort of 10 growth-stage companies selected from more than 1,000 applicants for its 12-week ScaleUp Programme. The selected businesses operate across sectors including cold-chain logistics, healthcare and other areas of the real economy, reflecting the growing diversity of Nigerian enterprises seeking to move from early success to sustainable scale.

The development is significant because it highlights an increasingly important issue in Nigeria's entrepreneurship ecosystem: the challenge is no longer simply helping people start businesses; it is helping promising businesses become investment-ready, competitive and capable of scaling. Recent comments from SMEDAN have similarly emphasised that Nigeria has significant funding opportunities for startups, but many businesses struggle to attract available capital because they lack the structure, scalability, innovation and business models investors require.

FROM STARTUP TO SCALE-UP

The Cascador cohort demonstrates the growing importance of structured business acceleration. Rather than focusing only on startup ideas, scale-up programmes work with businesses that have already demonstrated some level of market traction and now need stronger systems, strategy, networks and investment readiness to expand. With more than 1,000 applications competing for just 10 places, the selection also illustrates the level of competition among Nigerian founders seeking structured growth support.

This development comes at a time when several initiatives are attempting to close different gaps in Nigeria's enterprise ecosystem. SMEDAN's Building Resilient Young Nigerian Entrepreneurs (BRYNE) programme is targeting more than 100,000 young entrepreneurs annually with training, incubation, mentorship, access to finance, market opportunities and business development support.

There is also growing private-sector interest in providing businesses with the infrastructure required for growth. Earlier this week, Nomba and Synafare announced a ₦2 billion commitment to finance solar energy systems for about 300 Nigerian SMEs, addressing one of the most persistent operational challenges facing businesses—access to reliable power.

IEAMA PERSPECTIVE

For IEAMA, these developments reinforce a central principle: entrepreneurship development must move beyond training alone. A successful enterprise ecosystem requires a progression from skills development to business formation, structured mentorship, access to finance, technology adoption, productive infrastructure, market access and ultimately enterprise scale.

The future Nigerian entrepreneur therefore needs more than an idea and enthusiasm. Entrepreneurs need the capacity to understand their markets, maintain credible financial records, build scalable business models, use technology effectively, manage people and resources, attract investment and create enterprises capable of surviving beyond the founder.

THE BIGGER OPPORTUNITY

Nigeria's growing entrepreneurship ecosystem presents an opportunity to build a stronger pipeline of enterprises—from apprenticeship and vocational skills, to startup formation, to investment readiness and scale. This is where structured entrepreneurship education and professional apprenticeship management can play a critical role in transforming skills and ideas into sustainable businesses.

IEAMA's message is clear: Nigeria should not only produce more entrepreneurs; it should produce entrepreneurs capable of building enterprises that create jobs, attract capital, compete in wider markets and contribute to sustainable economic growth.

IEAMA NEWS — TODAY
Professionalising Entrepreneurship. Structuring Apprenticeship. Building Enterprises.

Suggested headline for the social-media graphic:

10 STARTUPS. 1,000+ APPLICANTS. ONE MESSAGE: NIGERIA'S BUSINESSES ARE READY TO SCALE.

01/09/2026

₦2 BILLION SOLAR FINANCING: A NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR NIGERIAN SMEs

A major development in Nigeria’s entrepreneurship ecosystem is creating a new opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses struggling with the high cost and unreliability of electricity. Nigerian financial services company Nomba and renewable-energy financing company Synafare have committed ₦2 billion to finance solar energy systems for approximately 300 Nigerian SMEs over the next 24 months. The financing will support the acquisition of solar panels, inverters and batteries, allowing qualifying businesses to access productive energy assets without bearing the entire upfront cost.

The initiative builds on more than a year of collaboration between the two companies, during which more than ₦500 million had already been provided to 10 SMEs, with the companies reporting no defaults on the loans issued through the partnership. The financing currently averages around ₦50 million per business and can reach up to ₦100 million for a merchant, although the amount available to an individual business depends on its assessment and financing needs.

HOW CAN AN SME ACCESS THE FINANCING?

The process is important for entrepreneurs to understand. According to the published details of the Nomba-Synafare arrangement, Synafare is the first point of assessment. It identifies, vets and pre-qualifies businesses seeking solar equipment, after which the business's application and required KYC documentation are submitted to Nomba. Nomba then conducts its own independent credit assessment and, where the application is approved, provides the financing directly. Synafare subsequently manages repayment collections.

For businesses interested in pursuing the opportunity, the practical first step is therefore to approach Synafare and express interest in its SME solar financing/credit programme, rather than approaching Nomba directly with the expectation of automatic approval. Synafare's current financing platform provides an online “Apply for Credit” and “Check Eligibility” pathway, and its published process explains that financing can be used for solar panels, batteries, inverters and other solar products.

Check Synafare Credit & Financing

WHAT SHOULD INTERESTED BUSINESSES PREPARE?

Although the companies have not publicly released a complete checklist specifically for this new ₦2 billion commitment, businesses should be prepared for business verification, KYC documentation, evidence of business operations, financial/credit assessment and details of the solar equipment required. Entrepreneurs should also be prepared to demonstrate how the proposed solar installation will support their business operations and repayment capacity. This is a financing facility, not a free government grant, so businesses should carefully understand the repayment terms before accepting any offer. The exact documentation and terms should be confirmed directly with Synafare during the application process.

WHY THIS MATTERS TO NIGERIAN ENTREPRENEURS

For many Nigerian businesses, electricity is not simply an overhead—it is a major determinant of productivity, pricing and survival. Businesses that depend heavily on petrol or diesel generators face recurring fuel, maintenance and equipment costs, while unreliable grid supply can interrupt production and service delivery. By helping businesses finance solar infrastructure rather than requiring the entire capital outlay upfront, the Nomba-Synafare model addresses two problems simultaneously: access to finance and access to reliable energy.

For IEAMA, this development reinforces an important principle: entrepreneurship support must go beyond training. Entrepreneurs need access to finance, productive assets, technology, energy, markets, mentorship and the professional capacity to manage growth. A business owner who receives entrepreneurship training but cannot afford reliable power may still struggle to scale; therefore, practical interventions that reduce the cost of doing business are essential to building resilient enterprises.

IEAMA'S MESSAGE TO SMEs

IEAMA encourages Nigerian entrepreneurs to pay attention to opportunities that can strengthen the productive capacity of their businesses. The ₦2 billion Nomba-Synafare commitment is particularly significant because it demonstrates how finance can be connected directly to productive assets, rather than simply providing working capital.

However, entrepreneurs should approach such opportunities professionally. Ensure that your business records are organised, your registration and KYC information are available, your financial activities can be demonstrated, and you have a clear understanding of the equipment your business needs and how it will improve productivity. Most importantly, do not pay unofficial agents or third parties claiming they can guarantee approval. Apply through verified channels and confirm the financing terms directly with the financing provider.

IEAMA POSITION: Nigeria does not only need more entrepreneurs; it needs better-equipped, better-financed and more resilient enterprises capable of creating jobs, increasing productivity and contributing to sustainable economic growth.

31/08/2026

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IDEA: BUILDING A DIGITAL APPRENTICESHIP PLATFORM

Nigeria has millions of young people acquiring skills through informal apprenticeship, yet many apprenticeship arrangements still operate without proper documentation, structured training, progress tracking, certification or reliable connections between apprentices and qualified master trainers.

This challenge can become an entrepreneurship opportunity.

Imagine building a Digital Apprenticeship Management Platform that connects aspiring apprentices with verified businesses and master trainers while providing a structured system for registration, training records, skills assessment, mentorship and certification.

💡 WHAT COULD THE PLATFORM OFFER?

For Apprentices:
Find suitable apprenticeship opportunities, create a professional profile, track training progress, access learning resources and build a verifiable skills record.

For Master Trainers & Business Owners:
Register apprentices, manage training activities, monitor progress and access tools for better apprenticeship administration.

For Employers:
Search for trained and certified talent based on verified skills and experience.

For Institutions & Industry Bodies:
Access structured data and support professional standards, assessment and certification.

💰 HOW CAN IT MAKE MONEY?

The entrepreneur could develop revenue streams through:

Apprentice registration and premium services
Master-trainer/business subscriptions
Training and certification fees
Corporate partnerships
Employer recruitment services
Sponsored training programmes
Institutional partnerships
Digital learning resources
🎯 WHY THIS MATTERS TO IEAMA

This is more than a technology idea.

It represents the kind of structured, professional and technology-enabled apprenticeship ecosystem that IEAMA advocates.

IEAMA believes apprenticeship should not simply be about “learning a trade.” It should provide a pathway from learning → skills → certification → entrepreneurship → employment → enterprise growth.

🔵 THE IEAMA ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHALLENGE

What if Nigeria's apprenticeship system became one of the country's biggest sources of skilled entrepreneurs?

A young person enters as an apprentice.

They acquire practical skills.

They receive structured training.

They become certified.

They establish a business.

They employ others.

One apprentice can become one entrepreneur—and one entrepreneur can create many more opportunities.

That is the power of professionalised apprenticeship development.

IEAMA — Professionalising Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Development.

31/08/2026

🚀 FINANCE MEETS ENTREPRENEUR 2026

WHERE CAPITAL MEETS OPPORTUNITY.

Are you an entrepreneur, business owner, investor, SME professional, innovator, or enterprise leader?

FME 2026 is for YOU!

Join IEAMA for a powerful day of finance, investment, business growth, networking, partnerships and opportunity.

🔥 WHAT TO EXPECT
• Finance & Business Growth Sessions
• Investor & Financial Institution Engagement
• Strategic Networking & Matchmaking
• Enterprise Exhibition
• Partnership & Market Opportunities
• FME Awards
• IEAMA Membership Induction

🏆 FME 2026 AWARDS
Celebrating entrepreneurs, innovators, enterprise leaders and institutions making an impact.

📅 15th October 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM Prompt
📍 LCCI, Ikeja, Lagos

🚨 REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 26th September 2026

👉 Register for FME 2026
👉 Nominate for the FME Awards
👉 Exhibit your business
👉 Connect with financiers & investors

📞 +234 803 232 5348 | +234 905 860 1542 | +234 708 387 7159

FINANCE MEETS ENTREPRENEUR 2026
Connecting Capital with Enterprise. Empowering Businesses. Transforming Economies.

31/08/2026

🚀 FINANCE MEETS ENTREPRENEUR 2026
WHERE CAPITAL MEETS OPPORTUNITY!
Are you an entrepreneur, business owner, investor, financial institution, SME professional, innovator, apprentice, professional or enterprise leader looking for the right platform to connect, grow and create opportunities?
Then FME 2026 is for YOU!
The Institute of Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Management and Administration (IEAMA) proudly presents:
🔵 FINANCE MEETS ENTREPRENEUR 2026
Theme:
“Financing the Future: Building Resilient Enterprises for Sustainable Economic Growth.”
📅 15th October 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM Prompt
📍 LCCI, Ikeja, Lagos
💰 THIS IS MORE THAN A CONFERENCE!
FME 2026 is where CAPITAL meets ENTERPRISE.
Where:
💰 Entrepreneurs meet finance.
🤝 Businesses meet strategic partners.
🏦 Ideas meet investors and financial institutions.
📈 Enterprises discover growth opportunities.
🌐 Industry leaders build valuable connections.
🚀 Innovators showcase what they are building.
🏆 Excellence is recognised.
⭐ New IEAMA members take their place.
🔥 WHAT TO EXPECT AT FME 2026
🔹 Powerful sessions on Finance, Investment & Business Growth
🔹 Investor & Microfinance Bank Engagement
🔹 Strategic Business Networking & Matchmaking
🔹 Enterprise Exhibition & Business Showcase
🔹 Partnership and market-access opportunities
🔹 Recognition of outstanding entrepreneurs and institutions
🔹 FME Awards Session
🔹 Virtual Induction of New IEAMA Members from Around the World
🔹 Certificate of Participation
🏆 FME 2026 AWARDS
Celebrating entrepreneurs, innovators, enterprise leaders and institutions making a measurable contribution to economic growth.
🏆 FME Grand Entrepreneur of the Year Award (FGEYA)
🏆 Enterprise Innovation Award
🏆 Financial Inclusion Champion Award
HONOURING EXCELLENCE. INSPIRING IMPACT.
⭐ BUT THERE'S MORE…
BECOME AN IEAMA MEMBER!
FME 2026 is not only about attending an event.
It is an opportunity to take your place in a professional enterprise community.
IEAMA membership connects you to a growing network committed to:
✅ Professional Recognition
✅ Business & Industry Networking
✅ Mentorship & Professional Development
✅ Training & Certification Pathways
✅ Enterprise & Partnership Opportunities
✅ Industry Visibility
✅ Entrepreneurship & Apprenticeship Development
Whether you are building a business, managing an enterprise, developing your professional career, training apprentices, investing in businesses or supporting entrepreneurship—
THERE IS A PLACE FOR YOU AT IEAMA.
🚨 DON'T JUST ATTEND THE FUTURE OF ENTERPRISE.
TAKE YOUR PLACE IN IT!
👉 REGISTER FOR FME 2026
👉 BECOME AN IEAMA MEMBER
👉 NOMINATE FOR THE FME AWARDS
👉 EXHIBIT YOUR BUSINESS
👉 CONNECT WITH FINANCIERS, INVESTORS & ENTERPRISE LEADERS
📌 REGISTRATION DEADLINE:
26TH SEPTEMBER 2026
Membership Registration:
Join IEAMA Membership. https://ieama.com.ng/membership/
FME 2026 Registration:
Register for FME 2026. https://ieama.com.ng/fme-2026-registration-page/
FME Awards:
FME 2026 Awards & Nomination. https://ieama.com.ng/fme-2026-awards/
📞 FOR ENQUIRIES & REGISTRATION
+234 803 232 5348
+234 905 860 1542
+234 708 387 7159
🌐 IEAMA Official Website
FINANCE MEETS ENTREPRENEUR 2026
Connecting Capital with Enterprise • Empowering Businesses • Transforming Economies
IEAMA — Building the Professionals, Enterprises and Apprenticeship Systems for a Stronger Economy

28/08/2026

Nigeria’s MSMEs Must Move From Survival to Scale

Nigeria’s entrepreneurship ecosystem is entering an important phase as policymakers increasingly focus on helping Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises move beyond survival towards sustainable growth.

At the recent National Stakeholders Validation Workshop on the Review of the National Policy on MSMEs, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) highlighted the need for a more coordinated national approach to MSME development, with greater emphasis on productivity, competitiveness, digital transformation and the ability of Nigerian businesses to compete regionally and globally.

This direction is significant because Nigeria does not simply need more businesses. It needs stronger businesses that can survive, scale, employ people and compete.

Recent initiatives also show a growing emphasis on connecting entrepreneurship training with finance, mentorship and market opportunities. SMEDAN's Building Resilient Young Nigerian Entrepreneurs programme, for example, is designed to support more than 100,000 young entrepreneurs annually through training, incubation, mentorship, finance and market access.

For IEAMA, this reinforces an important principle:

Entrepreneurship development must go beyond teaching people how to start businesses. It must help them build businesses that can grow.

This requires a stronger connection between skills, apprenticeship, entrepreneurship education, access to finance, mentorship, markets and professional development.

Nigeria's apprenticeship system also has an important role to play. Properly structured apprenticeship can provide the practical foundation from which young people develop technical competence, business experience and eventually establish enterprises of their own.

IEAMA POSITION

The future of Nigerian entrepreneurship should not be measured only by the number of people trained or businesses registered.

It should be measured by:

How many businesses survive?
How many scale?
How many create jobs?
How many enter new markets?
And how many become sustainable enterprises?

Nigeria needs an enterprise ecosystem that transforms skills into productivity, productivity into businesses, and businesses into employment and wealth creation.