SMEDAN DG urges adoption of ICSS framework to boost MSME growth in Nigeria

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Key points

• Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria calls for wider adoption of ICSS entrepreneurship framework.
• Over 17,000 jobs created and 42,000 individuals reached under ICSS programme.
• Initiative aims to improve MSME access to finance, training, and market readiness.

Main story

The Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Charles Odii, has called on entrepreneurs, financial institutions, and government agencies to embrace the Inspire–Create–Start–Scale (ICSS) framework as a catalyst for enterprise growth and economic development in Nigeria.

Odii made the call at the launch of the ICSS4ALL programme in Abuja, an entrepreneurship development initiative designed to support micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from ideation through to scaling.

The programme, developed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and implemented in collaboration with SMEDAN and Kaduna Business School, seeks to strengthen entrepreneurial capacity and improve access to structured financing.

He urged stakeholders at all levels of government to integrate ICSS into MSME development strategies, while encouraging financial institutions to align lending frameworks with the improved risk profiles of trained entrepreneurs.

“To our ICSS alumni, what you have earned is real and recognised. The GROW Fund and the ICSSLearn platform exist to build on the foundation you have laid,” Odii said.

The issues

Despite MSMEs accounting for about 97 per cent of businesses and nearly 90 per cent of employment in Nigeria, many operators still face challenges such as limited access to finance, weak training systems, and poor market linkages.

Stakeholders say the absence of standardised entrepreneurship training has historically made it difficult for banks to assess creditworthiness, limiting funding opportunities for small businesses.

What’s being said

According to SMEDAN, over 14,000 entrepreneurs have already been trained under the ICSS framework, which has reached more than 42,000 individuals across six states and created approximately 17,967 jobs, with women making up 60 per cent of beneficiaries.

Country Director of GIZ Nigeria, Markus Wagner, said the programme is designed to address structural gaps in MSME development by providing a clear pathway from ideation to scale.

He noted that the ICSSLearn digital platform will further expand access, especially among young entrepreneurs relying on digital tools for business growth.

What’s next

The ICSS framework is being considered for integration into Nigeria’s national MSME policy, with stakeholders pushing for stronger collaboration between government, development partners, and financial institutions.

Analysts say sustained institutional commitment will be key to translating entrepreneurship training into real economic growth and job creation.

Bottom line

The ICSS initiative is being positioned as a national standard for entrepreneurship development, with SMEDAN pushing for its wider adoption to strengthen MSMEs and unlock inclusive economic growth in Nigeria.