Minister commends Etisalat for promoting entrepreneurship drive

Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Oluseguin Aganga has commended Etisalat Nigeria, Pan Atlantic University and the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) for consistently promoting initiatives aimed at the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises in the country. This commendation was made in a keynote address delivered at the Abuja leg of the Etisalat sponsored Market Access recently held at Ibeto Hotel.

He noted that the one-day business networking and knowledge sharing session will afford small and growing businesses the opportunity to key into the value chain of large enterprises and help drive entrepreneurship spirit in Nigeria. According to him, Small and Medium Size Enterprises remain the backbone of the development for most economies around the world adding that the sector is currently has abundant growth opportunities.

“I must commend the partnership of Etisalat Nigeria, Pan African University and the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDAN) for being consistent with the initiative. SMEs are the most economic sector in the country and it is my day to day goal to bring massive growth to this sector of the country. I am always inspired to attend events like this where stakeholders in the SME sector converge.” He said.

Addressing participants at the seminar, Head, Business Segment Marketing, Etisalat Nigeria, Bidemi Ladipo, expressed delight at the turnout of participants at the session, noting that the attendance and testimonies of the impact of the seminar is encouraging.

“At Etisalat, we are passionate about the growth of growing businesses and entrepreneurs. We remain committed to providing them with every necessary support they need to thrive in their various industries. We recently awarded N2 million each to 10 entrepreneurs in our Easybusiness Millionaires Hunt scheme and I am delighted that some of them are present here in Abuja to share their experiences and how far they have gone in their businesses.” He stated.

The Market Access platform, now in its third year, is a quarterly networking event that has recorded tremendous success in the SME segment. The initiative has held in different cities across the country in a bid to empower small and medium scales enterprises across the country. Before the Abuja leg, the event has held in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Calabar and Uyo. It has recorded a combined total audience of over 2,000 people.