Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara has said that Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSMEs) are key to Nigeria’s economic growth and development in view of the roles they play.
Dogara spoke when he declared open a public lecture titled ‘Financing and Facilitating Development of Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises’ organized by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Abuja.
Represented by Deputy Chief Whip Pally Iriase (APC, Edo), Dogara noted that for MSMEs to perform their roles optimally, there was need for them to be given adequate support by all the necessary stakeholders.
“Considering the important role of MSMEs in nation building, it is crucial for the experts and executives in the development finance sub-sector, promoters of MSMEs and other stakeholders to espouse the financing challenges militating the performance and development of MSMEs and suggest how the existing initiatives can be improved upon and/or develop new policies designed to proffer solution to financial problem being encountered in the subsector.
“On our part in the legislature, we shall continue to enact laws and policies to provide a conducive environment for SMEs,” Dogara said.
Earlier, the Director General of the institute, Prof Ladi Hamalai, who was represented by the acting DG, Prof M. T Ladan, said the choice of the public lecture was based on the responsibility placed on the three arms of government regarding the economy.
The DG said the essence of the lecture was to elicit ideas from resources persons for informed public decisions to be taken.
“Discussions on SMSEs continue to be on the front burner worldwide with a view to ensure they fulfill their critical roles in the economy. This lecture will provide impactful outcomes that would help the operations of SMSEs in Nigeria,” the DG said.
