The Impact Investors Foundation (IIF) has equipped Nigerian enterprise support organisations (ESOs) and business development service (BDS) providers with essential tools and strategies to enhance their impact on social enterprises.
In a statement, the foundation revealed that its three-day intensive training programme brought together leaders and programme managers from across Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The sessions focused on practical methodologies for driving sustainable enterprise growth, with industry experts providing insights into the Argidius SCALE framework, a globally recognised model for optimising business support services.
Funded by the UK International Development under the third phase of the RISA Fund’s Sustainable Systems for Research and Innovation Financing Project (SSRIF III), this initiative aims to strengthen Nigeria’s enterprise development landscape. By improving the capacity of business support organisations, the programme seeks to enhance service quality, increase the reach of entrepreneurship support, and drive long-term economic growth.
Speaking on the significance of the training, the Chief Executive Officer of IIF, Etemore Glover, highlighted the importance of equipping ESOs and BDS providers with effective tools and frameworks.
“By strengthening Nigeria’s entrepreneurial support system, we are improving service delivery and enhancing the sustainability and scalability of the businesses they support,” she said.
The Programme Manager of the Nigeria ESO Collaborative, Ucha Unimke-Ulayi, emphasized the programme’s commitment to inclusivity.
“Through the 20 trained ESOs, we are set to support 100 SMEs over the next nine months. This includes 20 women-led enterprises, 20 businesses led by persons with disabilities, and 20 youth-run ventures, ensuring that impact-driven support reaches those who need it most,” she stated.
Participants gained hands-on experience in applying the Argidius SCALE framework to improve business support models, develop sustainable scaling strategies, measure and enhance impact, and foster collaboration within Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
With the completion of this training, IIF reaffirmed its commitment to fostering enterprise growth, ensuring that ESOs and BDS providers are well-positioned to support entrepreneurs effectively. The initiative is expected to contribute significantly to Nigeria’s business development sector, enhancing the resilience and scalability of social enterprises across the country.
