Lagos Govt. plans more hubs for SMEs

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, says the government will develop more hubs for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Sanwo-Olu made this known on Thursday in Ikeja, during the 7th Lagos Corporate Assembly, tagged: ”Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu (BOS) Meets Business”, organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives.

He said that the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) were the engine of the economy, hence, the state government would do everything within its power to ensure their survivability.

According to him, apart from the Ikeja hub, the state government is currently working on the Leather Hub, located at Cappa area of Oshodi and is expected to be ready by first quarter of 2022.

The governor said that his administration was looking at developing SMEs hubs at Somolu, Yaba and Obalende, which would boost businesses for the SMEs.

”We are looking for property at Somolu, Yaba and other densely populated area of Lagos, like Obalende, where we can replicate the kind of hub in Ikeja.

”It is only when we create those hubs that we can have collocation and your members who do not need to reinvent the wheel can come together and utilise the infrastructure and facilities that are there.

”They can get to do a lot more business,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu said that the state government was providing technological infrastructure to support the MSMEs, as it had commenced installation of 3,000km optic fibre, which was the first phase of the 6,000km optic fibre across the state.

He said that this would assist the MSMEs whose operations depended on fast internet networks to drive their businesses.

”The second phase of the project, which is another 3,000km optic fibre, would commence soon. We are hoping that we will conclude the remaining 3,000km by middle of next year,” Sanwo-Olu said.

Earlier, Dr Adams Adebayo, the Chairman, Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), Lagos Branch, called on the Lagos State Government to develop more hubs for the SMEs businesses.

Adebayo also called on the government to encourage the SMEs by ensuring that their businesses were being patronised.

”We are still small, don’t let us die. The Lagos State Government should encourage us. There should be training and mentoring,” he said.

In her welcome address, the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mr Lola Akande, said that the corporate assembly had become an advocacy platform where the state government and the business community converge to discuss issues of shared concerns.

Akande said that this was with a view to promoting commerce and industry in Lagos State.

She said that the engagement had been able to reinvent and strengthen the relationship between the state government and the Organised Private Sector (OPS).

According to her, the support of the OPS has helped government improve in service delivery towards sustainable economic development of the state.

”There is no gainsaying that sustainable development propels employment generation, improvement of standard of living, security of lives and property.

”These economic development parameters are largely contingent on the existence of a robust economic development agenda which draws upon the strengths and peculiarities of our collective will, intellectual abilities and natural endowments,” she said.