SMEDAN, EFCC Partner to Boost Youth Skills, Responsible Entrepreneurship

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have agreed to strengthen their partnership in youth empowerment, cybersecurity, capacity development and responsible entrepreneurship. The agreement followed a meeting in Abuja between the SMEDAN Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Charles Odii, and the EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede. According to a statement issued by SMEDAN’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Moshood Lawal, Olukoyede acknowledged the agency’s youth-focused programmes and described its capacity-building and empowerment initiatives as important in equipping young Nigerians with skills and opportunities to become productive participants in the economy. The two institutions agreed to increase knowledge sharing and develop joint capacity-building programmes, including the proposed incorporation of relevant components of SMEDAN’s ICSS curriculum into the EFCC’s cybersecurity training programmes.

The agencies also agreed to explore EFCC participation in relevant SMEDAN training programmes, particularly those focused on cybersecurity awareness, financial responsibility and ethical business practices for entrepreneurs and young people. The collaboration is expected to strengthen the connection between enterprise development and efforts to prevent financial and cyber-related crimes, while helping young entrepreneurs understand the importance of operating within the law and protecting their businesses in an increasingly digital environment. Speaking during the engagement, Odii stressed the importance of partnerships among government institutions in advancing youth-focused programmes and said empowering young Nigerians requires more than skills alone, including access to opportunities, mentorship, digital knowledge, financial literacy and responsible enterprise practices.

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