Oyo Begins Data Collection For MSMEs

The Oyo State government has commenced a statewide data collection and collation exercise for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the 33 local government areas and local council development areas (LCDAs) to strengthen economic planning and expand access to government and international support initiatives.

The initiative was formally flagged off at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Investment, Trade, Cooperatives and Industry, Secretariat, Ibadan.

Flagging off the programme, the commissioner for Trade and Industry, Adeniyi Adebisi, stated that the engagement was designed as a “train-the-trainer” session to equip selected participants as aggregators for the statewide MSMEs data capture exercise.

The commissioner who spoke through the permanent secretary of the ministry, Mr Olajide Okesade, explained that the aggregators would be responsible for coordinating data collection efforts within their respective local government areas by working with ten trained agents each, thereby ensuring widespread and efficient coverage across the state.

He noted that a similar exercise conducted in 2024 provided valuable insights but also revealed the need for improved accuracy and validation of data collected.

“This initiative is aimed at improving the quality and reliability of MSMEs data in Oyo State. We observed gaps in the previous exercise, particularly inconsistencies in critical identification details such as Bank Verification Number (BVN) and National Identification Number (NIN). This training is therefore essential to ensure that all data collected going forward is accurate, verifiable, and fit for planning and intervention purposes,” he said.

He charged participants to approach the assignment with diligence, professionalism, and a high level of technical accuracy to avoid discrepancies that could hinder beneficiaries from accessing government and development partner interventions.

In his presentation, the consultant to the Oyo State government and chief executive officer of Global Sight Services Limited, Mr Dayo Bello, described the exercise as a critical step toward building a credible and comprehensive MSMEs database for the State.

He emphasised that the data collection covers a broad spectrum of MSMEs, including traders, artisans, farmers, and small-scale industrialists, noting that accurate data remains a key requirement for accessing funding and support from government, federal agencies and international development partners.

Bello explained that the decision to undertake a fresh round of data collection was informed by the need to address inaccuracies observed in the 2024 dataset, which limited its effectiveness for programme implementation.

He assured participants of a seamless and technology-driven process, noting that data captured in any part of the state would be transmitted in real time to a centralized database.