The Nigerian Government has scored the response by owners of small businesses to its seventy five billion naira Survival Fund and Guarantee Off-Take Stimulus set up for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to cushion the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic hours after making its portal public for registration. Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mariam Katagum who disclosed this in Abuja while giving an update on progress made so far in the implementation of the support schemes of the President Buhari led administration said over one hundred and seventy five thousand MSME operators registered within twenty four hours of making the portal public with five States recording the highest. She said due to the positive impact of the scheme, three hundred and thirty three thousand Artisans and Transporters across the country will also benefit from the Federal Government’s Survival Fund. The Minister noted that the first phase of the artisans and transporters scheme, arranged to coincide with the nation’s Independence Day of October 1, will commence in twelve states which include Lagos, Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Plateau, Borno, Ekiti, Anambra, Abia, and the Federal Capital Territory. The Minister who is the Chairperson of the Steering Committee for the Scheme also dispelled fears of cyber attack by highlighting measures put in place to ensure safety of the website created for interested small business owners to register for the scheme. She however, called on Nigerian’s to seize the opportunity to register their businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission in order to be qualified for the various schemes for MSMES.
