Empowerment
Lagos SMEs Export Readiness Programme Empowers Businesses for Global Trade
The Lagos SMEs Export Readiness Programme empowers 253 small businesses with tools for cross-border trade under AfCFTA and international market access
The Lagos SMEs Export Readiness Programme has officially launched to equip small and medium-sized enterprises with the tools needed to expand into international markets.
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The initiative, driven by the Lagos State Government in partnership with Afreximbank and the not-for-profit organisation ImpactHER, targets 253 selected SMEs with training on export readiness under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mrs Folashade Ambrose, Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, said the launch marks a defining chapter in the state’s commitment to scaling local enterprises beyond national borders.
“Our MSMEs must evolve from local champions to continental contenders,” she said.
“This programme is the vehicle that will drive us into new markets, beyond borders, and into the centre of intra-African commerce.”
The training, which began on July 4, covers vital areas such as export documentation, trade finance, logistics, product packaging standards, digital trade, and gender-responsive strategies for women-led MSMEs.
According to organisers, the sessions are designed to demystify exporting and build the practical skills needed to thrive beyond Nigeria’s borders.
Participants will also receive mentorship following the four-week training.
The most outstanding 20 SMEs will be selected to represent Lagos at the Intra-African Trade Fair in Algiers this September, offering access to over 1.3 billion consumers.
Mr Ody Akhanoba, Director of SME Development at Afreximbank, noted that the bank’s investment in SME training will boost Africa’s global trade presence.
“We are turning on the SME’s capacity to be more competitive in the market,” he said.
Clementina Uzogor, representing ImpactHER, stressed that the six-week training is a strategic opportunity for participants to network, scale operations and tap into wider continental trade channels.
Also read: Access Bank Partners SME.NG To Launch Ebi Marketplace
With Lagos at the forefront of Nigeria’s commerce, the Lagos SMEs Export Readiness Programme signals a bold step towards transforming the state’s economic narrative through global trade participation.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to empowering Nigerians through skills acquisition and sustainable livelihoods, as 700 beneficiaries graduated from a 10-day Federal Government vocational training programme in Oyo State.
Dr Abiola Arogundade, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (TVEE), stated this on Friday in Ibadan at the graduation ceremony.
The training was organised under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) to equip beneficiaries with practical, market-relevant skills for economic independence.
Arogundade said the initiative reflected Tinubu’s determination to bridge Nigeria’s skills gap and empower young Nigerians to compete effectively in the evolving economy.
She said the programme was designed to promote self-reliance, improve employability and enable beneficiaries to build sustainable livelihoods.
According to her, the 700 beneficiaries comprised 30 participants trained in artificial intelligence (AI) and graphics, 85 in makeup artistry, 85 in fashion design and 500 in digital economy-related skills.
“This project is very dear to my heart because I come from Aremo, Ibadan.
“But it is also very dear to the heart and vision of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose determination to close Nigeria’s skills gap is a major driver of the mandate we have been given.”
Arogundade said Tinubu believed young Nigerians needed opportunities, skills and tools to compete effectively and achieve economic independence.
She urged stakeholders to support initiatives that equipped young people with relevant skills and opened pathways to sustainable livelihoods.
Sen. Sharafadeen Alli, APC governorship candidate in Oyo State and representative of Oyo South Senatorial District, said the initiative would contribute to poverty reduction not just in Oyo but across the country.
Sen. Alli said the Tinubu administration had introduced measures to cushion the effects of petrol subsidy removal, adding that the empowerment programme was part of efforts to tackle poverty and unemployment.
Similarly, Sen. Yunus Akintunde (representing Oyo Central) commended Arogundade for facilitating the programme and urged beneficiaries to preserve and make productive use of the equipment provided.
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, represented by Shola Ladoja, also commended Arogundade and the Federal Government for the initiative, while expressing
optimism that the programme would contribute to poverty reduction and improve livelihoods.
The ceremony attracted youths, representatives of non-governmental organisations, politicians, traditional rulers, entrepreneurs and academics.
At the end of the programme, all beneficiaries were awarded certificates and provided with start-up kits to support their transition into self-employment and sustainable livelihoods.
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