The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has tasked participants at the Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship (ACE) Project’s Training of Trainers program to serve as catalysts in developing innovative, technology-driven, and globally competitive Nigerian entrepreneurs.
The Director of the Director-General’s Office, Onesi-Lawani, delivered the charge on behalf of the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Charles Odii, at the flag-off of the two-week intensive training program in Abuja.
Onesi-Lawani revealed that the selection process began with a call for applications that drew over 1,100 candidates. The Project Management Consortium (PMC) shortlisted 80 applicants across two streams—Business Management and Artificial Intelligence—before selecting the final 30 successful candidates following interviews.
According to him, the selected participants will become ACE-certified trainers equipped to mentor young Nigerians to leverage technology, innovation, and creativity to build investment-ready enterprises.
He observed that while funding is available for Nigerian startups, the ecosystem faces a shortage of investment-ready businesses able to attract capital. He urged the trainers to focus on bridging this gap by equipping entrepreneurs to scale globally.
Key sectors highlighted for growth under the ACE Project include Fintech, Agritech, Healthtech, Logistics and Mobility, and the Creative Economy, encompassing digital media, fashion, gaming, animation, and film.
Highlighting Nigeria’s standing as Africa’s top startup hub and home to five of the continent’s eight unicorns, Onesi-Lawani urged the participants to guide young founders toward building high-value businesses that can support Nigeria’s push to become a top-ten global economy.
The Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship is a strategic innovation initiative by SMEDAN implemented in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The project aims to boost Nigeria’s startup ecosystem through entrepreneurship education, digital innovation, business incubation, acceleration, capacity building, and policy support.
