Lagos Govt Supports 1,500 MSMEs with Working Tools

Segun James

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said the Micro Enterprise Support Initiative of his administration was designed to uplift vulnerable businesses, women and indigent youths by providing them with the tools and support to start and grow their own businesses

Sanwo-Olu, who stated this during the 2024 edition of the Micro-Enterprise Support Initiative (MESI) at Ikeja, where fresh set of beneficiaries numbering over 1,500 were empowered through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), disclosed that over 5,000 persons have benefited in the last five years.

The programme was aimed at reaching out to the socio-economically disadvantaged women and indigent youths and old students of skills acquisition centres 

Empowerment tools/equipment like tiling machine, shawarma grillers and toasters, fabricating machines sewing, machine, basic barbing kit with sterilising kit and generators, hair dressing equipment, among others, were donated to the beneficiaries.

Sanwo-Olu said, “I am happy to join you today at this Y2024 MESI, implemented through the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA).

“Programs such as this shows our administration’s commitment to consistently empower residents of the State, in order to create an inclusive and prosperous society.

“Initiatives like MESI and our Skills Acquisition Centers, are working diligently to provide the necessary support for our citizens to thrive.

“This Micro Enterprise Support Initiative is designed to uplift vulnerable women and indigent youths by providing them with the tools and support they need to start and grow their own businesses. By empowering this segment of our population, we aim to continue to stimulate economic growth, reduce poverty, and create a more inclusive Lagos.

“This Y2024 MESI Program is a natural progression of these combined efforts. It seeks to build upon the successes of our past initiatives by providing even more targeted support to micro-enterprises. By empowering our citizens to become entrepreneurs, we are creating jobs and also fostering a vibrant and resilient economy.”

Sanwo-Olu told the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the opportunity and resources, saying the equipment was not given as gifts to be kept away, but they are tools to make them economically and financially independent and become worthy ambassadors of the State

In her welcome address, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Bolaji Cecilia Dada, stressed the importance of humanitarian/ social protection interventions for the teeming populace especially the Vulnerable Women and Indigent Youths across all the LGA’s and LCDA’s in the rural and sub-urban areas of Lagos State.

The Commissioner added, “In addition to the above mentioned expanded product line, the Ministry is also going to give out over 200 point of sale (PoS) machines to some of the beneficiaries with start-up funds and free registration with the Cooperate Affairs Commission (CAC).

“Again, the Ministry recently through its department of Poverty Alleviation trained 300 women on Catfish business, out of which an outstanding number of 100 beneficiaries will receive free Catfish feeds to enhance their business growth.

“We covered over six communities namely Ikorodu, Agege, Mushin, Lagos Island, Badagry and Epe. I am also pleased to inform that N50,000 cash grants will be given to 50 Makoko Fish Sellers today to support their businesses.

“In more specific terms, this administration has succeeded in empowering over 10,000 beneficiaries in the last five years as a people oriented government covering different economic empowerment equipment/ gadgets through this programme.”