At the 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Indianapolis, USA, Nigeria secured critical bilateral partnerships aimed at advancing its economic transformation agenda through entrepreneurship and innovation.
Representing the nation, Senator John Owan Enoh, Minister of State for Industry, reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering dedication to an entrepreneurship-driven industrial renaissance. Delivering President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s message during the ministerial plenary, Enoh emphasized the government’s focused strategy to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as key drivers of economic diversification, job creation, and inclusive development.
With over 39 million MSMEs contributing approximately 84% of Nigeria’s total employment, Enoh highlighted the sector’s pivotal role in national progress.
“We are not just backing small businesses,” the Minister declared. “We are investing in the future architects of our economy and reinforcing national resilience.”
Showcasing Nigeria’s Reform Agenda
The Minister spotlighted several landmark reforms and initiatives under Nigeria’s pro-enterprise framework, including:
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The Nigeria Startup Act, designed to foster tech-driven entrepreneurship
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State-wide Industrial Hub development to support enterprise clusters
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Strategic interventions such as the ₦1.3 trillion MSME financing through the Bank of Industry (BOI)
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SMEDAN’s innovation-focused programs, including solar-powered hubs and digital enterprise training
He also emphasized Nigeria’s digital momentum, pointing to the international rise of startups like Flutterwave — now valued at over $3 billion — as evidence of Nigeria’s growing innovation ecosystem where policy and enterprise align.
Forging Strategic Global Partnerships
In addition to addressing the global plenary, Senator Enoh led Nigeria’s delegation in a series of impactful bilateral engagements. Nigeria entered new partnerships with:
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The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to enhance MSME competitiveness and innovation capacity
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The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for industrial benchmarking and policy evaluation
Looking beyond traditional allies, the Minister also opened diplomatic dialogues with Algeria, Brazil, and Indonesia to expand South-South cooperation, particularly in SME development frameworks and knowledge sharing.
“These engagements underscore Nigeria’s role as a leading voice for Africa in the global entrepreneurship space,” Enoh stated, “while unlocking technical support, investment channels, and scalable capacity-building partnerships.”
Pathway to Industrial Advancement
Minister Enoh concluded by reaffirming Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate with global partners to drive economic growth through MSME development, digital trade facilitation, and industrial modernization. Under President Tinubu’s leadership, he said, Nigeria is positioning entrepreneurship as the backbone of a dynamic and resilient economy.
“Nigeria is prepared to seize new opportunities and scale new heights through innovation, partnership, and entrepreneurial excellence,” Enoh affirmed.
