Vice President Kashim Shettima has inaugurated the Federal Government’s ultra-modern Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Hub for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Calabar, Cross River State.
The hub, located in the refurbished State Library Complex, is part of President Bola Tinubu’s drive to equip entrepreneurs with tools and skills for the future of work. It coincided with the Eighth Expanded National MSME Clinics, which brought together agencies such as CAC, NAFDAC, BOI, and SMEDAN to address business owners’ challenges on-site.
Shettima announced that each outstanding MSME at the event will receive an unconditional ₦250,000 grant, stating, “This is not a loan. It is a gift to accelerate your journey.”
Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, he also outlined ongoing interventions:
- ₦75 billion MSME intervention fund (via BOI)
- ₦50 billion Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme (₦50,000 for one million nano businesses)
- ₦75 billion manufacturers’ fund (up to ₦1 billion per manufacturer at low interest)
The Vice President also commissioned two 100-seater Bombardier CRJ1000 jets for Cally Air, praising Governor Bassey Otu’s efforts in infrastructure and economic growth.
Officials at the event, including Minister of Information Mohammed Idris and Presidential Adviser Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, hailed the clinics as transformative platforms for business innovation and growth.
