The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has lamented the inability of Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) in the South-East and South-South to access the N520bn provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria to boost small businesses across the country.
The Rivers/Bayelsa states Chairman of MAN, Mr. Charles Beke, said the situation could affect the development of SMEs in the two geo-political zones if nothing was done to address it.
Beke spoke in Port Harcourt on Monday while briefing journalists on the forthcoming made-in-Nigeria premier exhibition to be held in the Rivers State capital on October 28 and 29, 2015.
He said that a financial analyst, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, who would be a guest speaker at the event, would be talking to the SME operators on how to access the CBN fund.
Ohuabunwa, according to him, will specifically be delivering the lecture entitled: ‘CBN bailout funds for SMEs: Dismantling the roadblocks’.
Beke said, “You are aware that the Central Bank of Nigeria has set aside N520bn to help in revamping many micro, small and medium-scale enterprises across the country.
“Unfortunately, our investigation shows that many of the SMEs in the South-South and South-East regions of this country have not accessed this very important fund meant to help bring a bigger industrial base in our country.
“We are happy to announce to you that a distinguished financial analyst, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, the Lead Consultant at the Star Team Consult, Lagos, is the guest speaker. His lecture will throw light on how to access the fund and the measures required to benefit from the fund.”
He, however, called on the SME operators to take advantage of the made-in-Nigeria exhibition organised by MAN and avail themselves the opportunity of getting information on how to access funds from the nation’s apex bank.
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