The International Trade Facilitation Association (ITFA), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (UNDP GEF-SGP), says nearly 600 Nigerian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have been equipped with the skills, business structures and market linkages needed to become sustainable and export-ready.
Speaking at the digital unveiling of the Nature Positive Directory in Abuja, ITFA Trade Ambassador, Prince Collins Ezeruaku, said research by the association showed that the collapse of many businesses is largely due to poor business planning and weak operational structures rather than lack of funding.
He said the initiative focuses on making businesses visible, investible and sustainable through mentorship, strategic guidance and market access. According to him, about 400 MSMEs are currently enrolled in the programme, while 30 businesses received free Corporate Affairs Commission registration and professional training valued at about ₦750,000.
Also speaking, UNDP GEF-SGP National Coordinator, Dr. Ibironke Olubamishe, said the Support to Potential and Established Nature-Positive MSMEs (SPENM) project is designed to reduce poverty and unemployment by helping environmentally sustainable businesses grow into competitive enterprises capable of accessing international markets.
ITFA Media Strategist, Okiemuta Olori, said the programme was introduced to address the high failure rate of grant-supported businesses after donor funding ends. She noted that beneficiaries were trained in business planning, export readiness, certification and international compliance, while also receiving support to improve product value, pricing and competitiveness in global markets.
