On Tuesday, the federal government offered an N150,000 grant to each outstanding micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Jigawa.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima announced the offer while launching the 4th edition of the expanded national MSMEs clinic in Dutse.

The clinic is one of the federal government’s strategies for ease of doing business in Nigeria. This will be achieved through a series of business forums organised across the country to provide on-the-spot solutions to challenges confronting MSMEs.

The first, second, and third editions were launched in Benue, Ogun, and Ekiti, respectively earlier this year.

Mr Shettima reiterated the federal government’s support to MSMEs and noted that the N150,000 grant “is an outright grant that does not require beneficiaries to repay.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has mandated that a grant of N150,000 each be awarded to outstanding exhibiting MSMEs at today’s event. Rest assured that this is an outright grant, and the beneficiaries will not need to repay it,” stated the vice-president.

Mr Shettima said that as the foundation of the nation’s economy, the MSMEs sub-sector had remained a top priority of Mr Tinubu’s administration.

He noted that the MSMEs represent 96 per cent of all businesses in Nigeria and contributed more than 45 per cent to its gross domestic product (GDP).

Mr Shettima added that MSMEs provided a crucial lifeline to 80 per cent of the nation’s workforce.

“We recognise your essence, and that’s why we are establishing MSME clinics across the nation. These clinics will act as incubators for small businesses and offer alternative financing. They will also ensure that you have the support and resources you need to compete and thrive,” he noted.

The vice-president observed that the prosperity of small businesses was the prosperity of Nigeria, and their downturn was the downturn of Nigeria.

Mr Shettima urged the business owners not to harbour any fear, assuring that the Tinubu administration would not rest until each “is in a vantage position to access the support and capital made available for them.”

Governor Umar Namadi thanked the federal government for providing democracy dividends to the people of the state through the MSME clinics and related projects scattered across the area.

Mr Namadi urged the existing and aspiring small business owners in the state to take advantage of services provided through the clinics. He described the initiative as a rare opportunity for operators in Jigawa’s sector.

He said the Jigawa government was aligning with the federal government’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ through the ‘Greater Jigawa Initiative’, which provides social protection services and projects for the people.

(NAN)