As part of its efforts to create jobs and help Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the Federal Government has set plans in motion to gather N200 million from philanthropic organisations.
The monies, according to Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, Senior Special Assistant to the President on MSMEs and Job Creation, Office of the Vice President, will be invested in critical programmes and projects across various target sectors.
To promote the plan, the presidency has also formed the Nigeria Philanthropic Organisation (N.P.O), a private sector-led coordination body to be based in the vice president’s office.
The body, Adekunle-Johnson noted, will work with donors, impact investors, and financial institutions to support the establishment of twelve mega hubs across the country and catalyse support for existing and new entrepreneurs in renewable energy, agro-processing, furniture, and fashion among other areas of the economy.
“The funds raised will be invested in key programmes and projects that will create opportunities for employment across different target sectors and facilitate growth in the MSMEs sector,” he added.
According to him, Vice President Kashim Shettima has appointed Thelma Ekiyor-Solanke to chair the Nigeria Philanthropic Organisation while the S.S.A. to the President on MSMEs and Job Creation is to coordinate its secretariat.
“She is the current Chairperson of SME.NG. She is a member of Nigeria’s National Advisory Board on Impact Investing (NABII) and the Chairperson of the Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC) in South Africa,” the statement read.