A MoU has been signed for bringing collaboration in areas like education, research and extension services for MSMEs together with promotion of entrepreneurship in rural Nigeria. This is a five year MoU signed between Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the Ahmadabad-based International Centre for Entrepreneurship & Career Development (ICECD).

It is being conveyed that ICECD will conduct research for cluster development, transfer of technology, incubation and signing of projects for industrial parks so as to enhance MSME growth, competiveness and sustenance.

In Nigeria itself ICECD has trained 300 trainers and with SMEDAN it is being targeted to train 1,000 more trainers in 19 districts. Chandramauli Pathak and Vijay Bhuptani, ICECD experts, have initiated this mission by implementing the “Training of Trainers” programme in five districts of Nigeria.

The foundation for a robust and vibrant MSME sector in Nigeria is being laid, in-order, to build upon the competence of service providers. The agencies share a common goal and that is to economically empower human resources. ICECD is equipped to bring in economic independence in the world and Nigeria is the first prototype.