The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are set to deepen institutional collaboration, with a focus on youth empowerment, cybersecurity, capacity development and responsible entrepreneurship.
Speaking while on a visit to the EFCC office in Abuja, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Mr. Charles Odii, emphasised the importance of partnerships among government institutions in delivering their mandate.
He noted that empowering young people requires a holistic approach that combines skills, access to opportunities, mentorship, digital knowledge, financial literacy and responsible enterprise practices.
While welcoming the SMEDAN team, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, noted that the Commission had followed with keen interest SMEDAN’s youth-focused interventions, describing them as significant efforts towards equipping young Nigerians with opportunities and skills that can positively transform their lives.
He particularly acknowledged the Agency’s growing focus on youth development through capacity building and empowerment schemes, describing such interventions as important contributions to equipping young Nigerians with the knowledge and opportunities required to become productive participants in the economy.
The Chairman added that the partnership will ensure they do not follow the path of negative vices that have an unsavoury impact on the country’s economy and image.
According to a statement by SMEDAN, during the meeting, the two Chief Executives agreed on strengthening collaboration through knowledge sharing and joint capacity-building initiatives.
“A key area of agreement was the proposed infusion of relevant components of the ICSS curriculum into the EFCC’s cybersecurity training programmes.
‘The two institutions equally agreed to explore the participation of EFCC in relevant SMEDAN training programmes, particularly those that can strengthen awareness of cybersecurity, financial responsibility and ethical business practices among entrepreneurs and young people”.
In the statement, “the collaboration is expected to create a stronger bridge between enterprise development and financial crime prevention, ensuring that young entrepreneurs are equipped not only to start and grow businesses, but also to understand the importance of operating within the law and protecting their businesses in an increasingly digital economy”.