My people, Gbaja is here! E be like say many of una don wake up to the sound of opportunity, because research shows an 80% surge in 'how to start a business' queries, with plenty interest in digital entrepreneurship too. It's a good thing, showing say Nigerians no dey dull, we dey find ways to create value and employment.
Our federal and state governments have been making noise about supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs). For instance, the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme and SMEDAN grants offer financial help, especially for nano businesses, without repayment obligations. There are also Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) and Bank of Industry (BOI) loans designed to empower entrepreneurs. The government even launched a N75 Billion MSME Intervention Program to reduce production costs, create jobs, and boost agricultural productivity. Efforts have been made to ease business registration, with online platforms reducing the time needed to register a company. The federal government has also empowered over 827,000 SMEs in 2024 through various hubs and initiatives. For digital space, programs like the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) and initiatives from the Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy are pushing digital skills and infrastructure.
But as your boy Gbaja, I no go just dey clap. We need to hold these leaders accountable! It’s time we compile our governors’ campaign promises on job creation and SME support. Let's track state allocations for entrepreneurial development yearly and create clear, visual "promise vs. delivery" scorecards so everyone can see the truth. We must learn to identify whether a project is truly state-funded or if our governors are claiming federal government work as their own. Let's calculate the real cost per project – say, per beneficiary of a loan scheme or per person trained in a digital skill program – to expose any inflation or waste.
Who are the Commissioners for Commerce, Innovation, Youth Development in your state? How are their ministries performing when it comes to business enablement? Demand transparency! Learn how to participate in state budget consultations to ensure funds are allocated effectively for entrepreneurs. Get their contact channels; if they make promises, they must be accessible. Let’s organize "governor report card" town halls focused on the business environment they've created. Share all these findings on social media with receipts – photos, documents, everything. Remember, we vote am in, we fit vote am out, but first make we show am say we dey watch.