The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has successfully trained more than 14,000 entrepreneurs across the country under its ICSS (Inspire, Create, Start and Scale) programme, strengthening the capacity of small business owners to scale and sustain their ventures.
According to Daily Trust, the intensive business training initiative is part of SMEDAN’s broader strategy to boost entrepreneurship skills, enhance business readiness, and promote economic inclusion throughout Nigeria.
The ICSS programme provides entrepreneurial training in areas such as financial literacy, business planning, market access strategies, record keeping, and access to finance.
Under the leadership of Director-General Charles Odii, SMEDAN has also moved to embed the ICSS curriculum into the national MSME policy framework, ensuring that the training methodology becomes a standard reference for future enterprise development programmes.
The ICSS training model aims to support participants at different stages of business development — from inspiration and idea creation to business launch and later scaling — with practical guidance tailored to Nigeria’s market realities.
The agency’s push for widespread skills development aligns with ongoing efforts to tackle unemployment, improve business sustainability, and expand economic opportunities for youth and small business owners.
Observers say that equipping entrepreneurs with practical business tools is essential for strengthening Nigeria’s micro, small and medium enterprise ecosystem and fostering long-term economic growth.