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By Our Reporter, Lafia
The International Trade Facilitators Association (ITFA) has begun training 470 nature-positive Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria on sustainable growth and access to the global market.
Mr Abdullahi Sidi-Aliyu, the Director, Export Trade Development of ITFA, inaugurated the training under the “Support to Potential and Existing Nature Positive MSMEs” (SPENM) project in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
Sidi-Aliyu said that the project funded by the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was aimed at empowering MSMEs across Nigeria to champion both economic prosperity and environmental stewardship.
He said that the training would be done across the six geo-political zones of the country, with the maiden edition for the North Central zone in Lafia.
According to Sidi-Aliyu, the training will equip MSMEs with the knowledge and tools to create robust, sustainable business models that are economically viable and environmentally friendly.
“Through the programme, participants will gain practical strategies to master fair trade principles and certification, apply fair trade for competitive advantage, and gain visibility on the ITFA directory.
“They will also receive ongoing coaching support to help them navigate challenges and build sustainable enterprises,” he said.
Sidi- Aliyu encouraged participants to engage fully, ask questions, share their experiences, and build valuable networks with their fellow participants.
“We are confident that by the end of this programme, you will be empowered to not only enhance your current nature-positive MSMEs but also to truly embed the principles of social enterprise, securing your long-term sustainability and amplifying your positive impact on Nigeria.
“This is an opportunity – a strategic springboard – designed to help you transform, grow, or pivot your businesses into thriving, self-sustaining social enterprises.
“This programme is about building lasting resilience and independent success,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Abel Owotemu, Technical Adviser, ITFA, said that the idea was to improve the capacity of MSMEs, specifically women, and grant them access to market both at the local and global level.
“We are providing them with technical support on how to make their businesses sustainable, certified, and to benchmark against global standards.
“We are preparing them for the global stage where it comes to export readiness across all the important product value chains such as Cocoa, groundnuts, and even mining.
“We are also going to set up access to market through an electronic platform that allows them to be certified and unloaded, thereby giving access to the global market.
“This will also help and support the government’s drive towards diversifying the economy from oil-dependent to non-oil dependent export,” he said.
Owotemu explained that a total of 100 MSMEs would benefit from the programme in the North Central zone.
Some of the participants, Mrs Mary Meshi, President, National Council for Women Society (NCWS) Nasarawa State, and Hajiya Halima Aliyu from the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) Nasarawa State chapter, appreciated the organisers of the programme.
They noted that the programme would help women to grow their enterprises and become self-reliant.
According to Meshi, when women are empowered through profitable enterprise, they will depend less on men, thereby reducing cases of gender based violence.
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