NIGERIA, AFRICA – The Federal Government has named the President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dele Kelvin Oye, alongside other key stakeholders, as members of an Oversight Committee for Nigeria’s hosting of the 4th African Union (AU) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Forum.
In a statement, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the committee, which will coordinate preparations for the continental event scheduled to take place in Abuja from June 23 to 27, 2025.
According to him, Themed “Building Resilient MSMEs through Digital Innovation, Market Access & Affordable Financing for Africa,” the forum will feature paper presentations, panel discussions, exhibitions, MSME pitching contests, and award presentations to outstanding Nigerian entrepreneurs.
Nkwocha said the oversight Committee will be chaired by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, while other members of the Committee include Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani; Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hon. Hannatu Musawa; and Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh.
He noted that other members of the committee are top executives of key agencies, nothing “Other members of the Committee include, Executive Director Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs Nonye Ayeni; Executive Secretary Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Mrs Aisha Rimi; MD Bank of Industry, Dr. Olasupo Olusi; Chairman Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Zacch Adedeji; MD/CEO NEXIM BANK, Mr Abba Bello; DG SMEDAN, Mr. Charles Odii; President NACCIMA, Dele Kelvin Oye, Esq and Deputy Director (African Union Division), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Anthony N. Alonwu.”
The statement added that, “The Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs (Office of the Vice President), Mr. Temitola Adekunle-Johnson will serve as the Host Country Coordinator and secretary of the committee.”
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The AU MSME Forum according to the statement “was initiated as an annual event by the African Union Commission (AUC) to serve as a strategy to empower Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, develop intra-African value chains, and bolster regional trade.
“While the hosting rights are rotated among African member countries, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Namibia, respectively, have hosted the first three Sessions of the Forum since its introduction in 2022,” the statement added.