The Minister of Information and National Orientation Mr Mohammed Idris said Thursday that the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) is the needed pillar for national development.
The minister said this at the opening of a job creation and MSMEs quarterly communications forum, organized by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs.
“Already, the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies responsible for job creation and the development of the MSMEs have started rolling out various initiatives to attain Mr. President’s objective for the sector.
“The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment recently announced that it will be unveiling a groundbreaking innovation aimed at revolutionizing the job market and fostering greater employment opportunities for Nigerians through the establishment of the National Job Centre.
“The Centre will serve as a centralized platform designed to match available vacancies in industries and businesses across the country with the vast talent pool of job seekers. Through state-of-the-art technology and innovative matchmaking algorithms, the Job Centre will connect employers with qualified candidates, thereby streamlining the recruitment process and maximizing efficiency.
“Additionally, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), will be implementing the Skill-UP Artisans Programme (SUPA) to empower about 10 million artisans within two years, with tech-enabled skills training, licensing, and access to essential toolkits to enable them to be ready for jobs that will be mined through the National Job Centre,” he said.
The Minister, who was represented by the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON) Mr Jibrin Ndace, said the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration was committed to enhancing businesses to boost the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He said the President was poised to unlock the business potentials of the country.
“The President is spearheading systemic reforms, eliminating wastage, and unlocking vast opportunities across the various sectors of the economy to boost our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and generate employment for our teeming youth.
”The MSMEs in Nigeria have been our beacon of hope, as they have remained steadfast and resilient, unarguably demonstrating the ability to weather the storm in the face of enormous challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic ramifications.
”There is also the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), which was set up to remove bureaucratic constraints to doing business in Nigeria and make the country a progressively easier place to start and grow a business,” he said.
