News
Engr. Julius Inedu Congratulates New SMEDAN DG
By Abdulateef Bamgbose
Goodwill and congratulatory messages have continued to pour in for the newly appointed Director General of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency – SMEDAN, Mr Charles Odii.
The latest is coming from a Senior Legislative Aide to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly and an Abuja-based property manager, Engr. Julius Inedu.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, Inedu said the appointment is a reward for Mr Odii’s diligence, hard work, and purpose-driven life.
He describes Mr Odii as a round peg in a round hole as he has committed many years to the development of small and medium-scale enterprises in Nigeria and beyond.
The statement read in part.
“It’s no surprise that your global recognition in this field of humanity has been rewarded with a national appointment”.
“Your strides at SME100 AFRICA that gave birth to the famous Africa Small Business Summit and the Entrepreneurship World Cup is well documented and Mr President has only given you the mandate to replicate what you’ve been doing as a private individual at a larger and national scale. I have no doubt in my heart that you will excel and succeed”.
“I join your family and friends to rejoice with you on this meritorious appointment and pray to God to grant you the wisdom and enabling grace to actualize your lofty dreams of making Nigerian small businesses a global brand and a driving force of our national economy”.
He concluded by commending President Bola Tinubu for always looking out for the very best in every one of his appointments.
Mr Charles Odii was announced as the DG of SMEDAN last week by presidential spokesman, Anjuri Ngelale.
He said the appointment was in line with the president’s resolve to base Nigeria’s economic revival on the foundation of trade expansion through small, medium, and large-scale industry facilitation.
News
AWESSA 2026: Customs Assures Border Cooperation for Women Entrepreneurs
By James Samuel, Abuja
The Nigeria Customs Service has said the nation’s borders must become gateways of opportunity for African women entrepreneurs, not obstacles that kill their businesses.
This was disclosed at the African Women’s Economic Sovereignty Summit and Awards (AWESSA) 2026 held at the Customs House, corporate headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service in Abuja.
Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, his representative, an Assistant Controller, said hosting the summit inside Customs premises was deliberate.
“That this summit holds within the Customs premises is no accident. It is a statement of intent,” he said.
“The border is where the promise of every African trader either comes alive or dies quietly. And the men and women of this Service have resolved that for every woman entrepreneur of this continent, that promise will never die.”
He said women account for an estimated 70% of informal cross-border trade in Africa and over half of agricultural labour, yet they face documentation, standards, finance and harassment challenges.
“Too often she meets the border as an obstacle rather than a gateway. Because she trades in small volumes, in cash, in informality without formal papers, capable business women are now trapped in informality, invisible to trade statistics,” he noted.
He added: “AfCFTA will not be delivered by treaties alone. It will be delivered at border posts, in conference halls, and in market stores.”
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, represented by a Director, said women are central to Nigeria’s non-oil export sector.
According to her, NEPC’s focus is now on building export- ready competitive enterprises through programmes like the Women in Export Initiative, Export Clinic, and Zero to Export.
“Our focus is no longer on encouraging exports alone, it is on building competitive export-ready enterprises. We are supporting women to move beyond production into value addition, quality assurance, standard compliance, branding and market positioning,” she said.
She said AfCFTA offers a market of over one billion people, but women need knowledge, certifications and institutional support.
“Empowering women economically is one of the most effective tools for achieving poverty reduction, food security, job creation and inclusive growth,” she stated.
The Convener, Helen Okon, who is the Publisher of Business Review Africa & Africa Today Magazine, as well as representatives of NAFDAC DG and NEXIM Bank MD, reaffirmed commitment to supporting women-owned businesses access standards, certification and finance.
The summit, with the theme of positioning women as drivers of trade and sustainable development, is part of activities marking the International Year of the Women Farmer.
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