New SMEDAN Boss Pledges To Work With All Stakeholders In MSMEs Ecosystem

Newly appointed director general of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) Mr Olawale Fasanya, has pledged to work with all stakeholders in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector.

President Muhammadu Buhari approved Fasanya’s appointment as the managing director of  SMEDAN, effective June 6, 2022.

Fasanya who spoke at an event to mark the 2022 World MSMEs Day on Monday in Abuja, said his pledge to work with all stakeholders in the MSME ecosystem “is towards achieving the MSMEs sub-sector of our dream in Nigeria.”

The event had as its theme, “Resilience and Rebuilding: MSMEs for Sustainable Development at the Forefront of Building Back Better and Stronger from the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Climate Crisis and Conflicts’’.

“It is important to emphasise that MSMEs require the support of all stakeholders more than ever before as they manage the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemics, conflicts and the climate crisis.

“As we celebrate MSMEs today, we call on all stakeholders in the public and private sectors and the international development partners to wholeheartedly support the growth, development and sustainability of MSMEs.

“This is critical toward achieving our desired goal of economic prosperity for all by way of job creation, wealth creation, poverty alleviation and food security,’’

Fasanya’s appointment which took effect from June 6, was contained in a letter dated June 23, 2022 and signed by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo.

Fasanya replaces Dr Dikko Radda who served the agency for six years as director general/chief executive officer.