Dr. Charles Odii, the Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), has officially launched the details of the 2025 National MSME GROW Nigerian Conference, labeling the upcoming event a crucial “festival of ideas, innovation, and enterprise.”
Scheduled for November 16–18, 2025, in Lagos, the three-day national summit is explicitly designed to unlock vital new pathways for scalable growth for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Nigeria.
Strategic Collaboration for Ecosystem Growth
The conference, themed “GROW Nigerian: Building a Future of Innovation, Resilience and Prosperity,” signifies SMEDAN’s intensified drive to provide tangible support in critical areas: market access, financing, skill acquisition, and digital transformation. It will serve as an essential platform bringing together high-ranking government officials, major financiers, business titans, and global development partners to collectively chart a progressive course for the nation’s MSME sector.
Dr. Odii affirmed that the conference builds upon ongoing efforts to expand opportunities for Nigerian entrepreneurs. “Beyond high-level discussions, attendees will leave with access to tangible grants and opportunities to propel their growth,” he stated.
High-Impact Agenda and Policy Reform
The event boasts a distinguished roster of influential figures from governance, technology, and business. Key participants include Vice President Kashim Shettima and Speaker of the House of Representatives Dr. Tajudeen Abbas. The keynote address will be delivered by Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is slated to host a special stakeholder session, while various Ministers, including those in charge of Industry, Trade and Investment, and State Affairs, are confirmed to participate.
A primary objective of the summit is to critically inform the next five-year framework for sustainable enterprise growth, aiding in the review of Nigeria’s National MSME Policy, which is due to expire this year. The agenda includes specialized sessions focused on critical operational issues:
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Fiscal Policy: A deep dive into new national tax laws, led by Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms.
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Export Expansion: Strategies for international market penetration, presented by Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
A dedicated Women Summit, spearheaded by the Minister of Women Affairs, will focus on strategies to strengthen female-owned businesses. Capacity building will also feature prominently through masterclasses led by creative and business experts on topics such as branding and Intellectual Property (IP).
The Digital Imperative and Funding
Highlighting the necessity of embracing technology, a crucial session titled “Competing and Thriving in the Digital Era” will feature industry leaders like Moniepoint Co-founder Tosin Eniolorunda and Herconomy CEO Ife Durosinmi-Etti, focusing on digital competitiveness, fintech, and maximizing new digital opportunities for MSMEs.
The conference will feature the GROW Nigerian Fair, which will prominently showcase outstanding small businesses across key sectors like food, fashion, and manufacturing. Furthermore, a highly competitive pitch competition will award a total of ₦20 million in grants to the top innovating entrepreneurs.
“Our vision is an economy substantially powered by small businesses capable of competing globally,” Dr. Odii concluded. “Nigeria’s entrepreneurs are the veritable engine of our economy, and with a supportive ecosystem, they are poised to drive resilience, create mass employment, and engineer prosperity across the African continent.”
The conference receives substantial backing from global partners, including the German, Swiss, and European Union governments (through GIZ), alongside leading private sector organizations like Moniepoint, MTN, UBA, and the Bank of Industry (BOI).
