President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mr. Olawale Tunde Fasanya as the new Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN.
The appointment which became official from the 6th June 2022 was contained in a letter dated 23rd June 2022 and signed by the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo CON.
Deputy Director/Head of the agency’s Corporate Affairs unit Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, in a statement, praised Mr. Fasanya as a vast technocrat and certified Business Development Advisor with a demonstrated history of landmark achievements spanning over 35 years in the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs ecosystem in Nigeria.
Born on June 3rd, 1962 in Ogbomosho, Osun state , Fasanya holds a Bachelor of Art degree in English and Literary Studies from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife in 1985.
He is also a holder of Advanced Certificate in Public Relations from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos and a Masters in Public Administration from the Lagos State University, Lagos in 1994.
A passionate student of knowledge, Fasanya also accrues a litany of other qualifications including a Diploma in Market Business Development Service from the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization, ILO, among others.
He expects his award of PhD in Public Policy Analysis and Management from the University of America.
He began his working career in a publishing firm, Jator Publishing Company Ibadan, Oyo state as deputy editor/administrative officer.
He switched into public service, joining the National Productivity Centre , NPC, Abuja where he served as Productivity Officer, Senior Productivity Officer, Assistant Chief Public Relations Officer, and Chief Public Relations Officer between August 1998 to June 1999.
Mr Fasanya also served as Personal Assistant to Hon. Minister of State, Ministry of Defence between June 1999 to February 2002 and later Special Assistant to the Hon. Minister of Solid Minerals between February 2002 to May 2003.
He was a pioneer staff of SMEDAN when it was set up in 2003 serving as a Special Assistant to the Pioneer Director General/CEO of the Agency, Mrs. Modupe Adelaja and was overseeing all units under the Director General’s Office as Deputy Director and Group Head, Corporate Affairs.
He was appointed acting DG of SMEDAN between July to December 2008 and later as Group Head, Strategic Planning, Policy and Coordination between April 2009- January 2011.
Mr. Fasanya upon his promotion in January 2011, was appointed Director, Strategic Planning Policy and Coordination, a position he held till October 2014 when he was promoted as Director, Enterprise Development and Promotion, the engine room of the agency, a position he held till 2018 when he was appointed to another strategic position as Director, Policy Planning, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, a position he distinguished himself so well till his retirement from the civil service on 3rd June, 2022.
