By Abdullahi M. Gulloma
Abuja
Nine states have so far accessed the N220 billion Small and Medium Scale Enterprise Fund initiated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, said yesterday.
Aganga said while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the inaugural meeting of the National Council on SMEs presided over by Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo.
The minister did not disclose the names of the state governments that have so far accessed the fund and the amount they got from the Central Bank of Nigeria, stressing that Vice President Sambo set up a committee chaired by the Minister of National Planning to prepare guidelines and the terms to access the fund.
Also speaking, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe state said 19 states were at the stage of accessing the fund but declined to disclose the names of the state.
He said: “The good news is that a percentage of it is devoted to training and development. Interest rate will not exceed nine percent while great percentage is devoted to women. Nine states have already accessed the fund. We want to make sure it is done in good manner.”