At 4th AU Forum, VP Shettima Urges Integration Of Informal Economy Into Formal Intra-African Trade Framework

** Demands strong MSME ecosystem for Africa’s prosperity

** Says Nigeria is deepening investments to expand capacity of small businesses

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has said Africa’s future economic success depends on its ability to integrate the informal sector into the formal intra-African trade framework, particularly through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

According to him, the promise of a better future for Africa does not depend on the skyscrapers being constructed in capitals of nations or the transactions in stock exchanges but lies in the reality that the “potential of the informal sector, which accounts for nearly 90 percent” of the continent’s workforce, must be harnessed.

Senator Shettima, who stated this on Monday when he declared open the 4th African Union Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Forum in Abuja, warned that if Africa fails to harness the potential in the informal sector for small businesses to grow, the continent would “keep going round the same cycle of despair.”

To achieve this, he demanded the integration of the informal economy into the fabric of formal intra-African trade, noting that this is the reason why small businesses have remained at the heart of policy formulation in Nigeria.

“Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, there can be no African prosperity without a strong MSME ecosystem. This forum is a continental call to action. We owe it to ourselves, to our children, and to generations unborn, to integrate our informal economy into the framework of formal intra-African trade.

“I am confident that through our collaborative efforts, this forum will mark a turning point. We hope to see our shared aspirations translated into concrete actions that empower our MSMEs and propel Africa towards a brighter, more sustainable future,” VP Shettima told delegates and other participants at the forum.

Welcoming the delegates and participants to the forum, the Vice President conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s message of assurance, of Nigeria’s hospitality, and the nation’s readiness to join other countries on the continent in learning from one another, as well as the determination to agree on the direction taken to effectively compete with the rest of the world.

He underscored the crucial role MSMEs play in the development and growth of Africa, observing that beyond employing millions of Africans, “they are engines of inclusive growth and effective tools for poverty alleviation.

“In Nigeria alone, MSMEs contribute a staggering 48 per cent to our national GDP and employ over 84 per cent of our workforce. They are a mirror to our future, and they explain why we are deepening our investments to expand the capacity of this sector,” Senator Shettima said.

Beyond building local infrastructure for entrepreneurial expansion, the Vice President implored African countries to entrench cross-border cooperation since their destinies are bound together as a continent.

He identified some of the obstacles confronting MSMEs in Africa to include limited access to affordable finance, describing this particular challenge as a recurring nightmare, just as he noted that with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), there is still hope.

“It costs our continent not just money—it costs us momentum. But we must find hope in the promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This is why I am particularly excited about the theme of this forum—“Building Resilient MSMEs through Digital Innovation, Market Access & Affordable Financing for Africa.” The timing is perfect. The vision is clear,” he declared.

VP Shettima acknowledged what he termed a remarkable surge in digital adoption across Africa, saying technology is achieving what politics has struggled to actualise over the years.

He noted, however, that for the momentum to be sustained, policymakers must live up to their duties by “investing in robust digital infrastructure, bridging the digital literacy gap, and establishing regulatory frameworks that do not stifle innovation,” he said.

Regretting the continued dependence of MSMEs on traditional financial institutions, Shettima, however, expressed hope that change is unfolding, with fintech firms across Africa now using alternative data to assess creditworthiness and extend microloans to the previously excluded.

Earlier, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President/Chairman of the Host Country Committee, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to a future where MSMEs are empowered to thrive.

“The forum signifies our shared commitment to a prosperous and inclusive future for Africa, a future where MSMEs have the opportunity not just to survive but to thrive. We gather here today under the theme of the Africa we want.

“It is our continental imperative and road map for unlocking the immense potential of our continent’s most vital engine—our MSMEs. An investment in our MSMEs is a direct investment in a prosperous, inclusive and self-reliant Africa,” he said.

In setting the tone for discussions at the forum, the Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation and MSME, Mr Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, highlighted the significance of the forum, particularly in addressing challenges faced by budding entrepreneurs across the continent.

He underscored the need for stakeholders across the continent to collaborate and capitalise on the potential of Africa’s youthful and energetic population to transform the region’s economic landscape.

In his remarks, Director General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN), Mr Charles Odii, applauded the support and commitment of Vice President Shettima and Chairman of the National Council for MSME to the transformation and growth of the MSME sector in Nigeria, highlighting key initiatives supervised by his office since the inception of the current administration.

He emphasised the need for Nigerians to always patronise home-grown products as part of the concerted efforts to support local manufacturers and MSMEs.

On his part, the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, Dr. Olasupo Olusi, said interventions and targeted engagements through the bank have, over the years, helped in knowledge growth and adoption of digital tools by MSMEs, noting that the initiatives have impacted growth in the sector.

Also speaking, the Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Massimo De Luca, stated that access to finance remains a pressing challenge for businesses in the region, especially MSMEs.

He disclosed that the European Union has committed about €1.1 billion in support of the African Union’s implementation of AfCFTA.

“Our EU initiative in support of the African Union in the implementation of the AfCFTA hovers around 1.1 billion euros. The African Continental Free Trade Area represents an unprecedented achievement towards realising Africa’s full economic potential and integration. The EU remains firmly committed to our partnership with Africa and ECOWAS for inclusive and sustainable industrial development across the continent,” he said.

Also, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, emphasised the need for enabling ecosystems to help MSMEs move from resilience to scalable impact.

She said, “Across our continent, MSMEs are the builders of local prosperity. They employ, they innovate, and they adapt, but they cannot thrive on resilience alone. They need ecosystems that work for them, platforms to commercialise innovation, access to working capital and markets both domestic and continental that recognise their value.”

On his part, Permanent Representative of the African Union Sixth Region Global (AU6RG) to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Afolabi Oke, announced the appointment of Mr. Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, Special Adviser to the Nigerian President on Job Creation and MSMEs, as the Special Adviser to the AU 6th Region on Job Creation and MSME Development.

“The African Union Sixth Region Global is dedicated to representing and advocating for the African diaspora worldwide. As an extension of the African Union, we serve as the ‘Sixth Region,’ uniting people of African descent living outside the African continent and Friends of Africa,” Oke said.

On Nigeria’s export and industrialisation, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Mr. Abubakar Abba Bello, reiterated the bank’s commitment to MSME financing as a strategic pathway to value chain development and AfCFTA success.

“There’s a need for Africa to look inward to develop its value chain. We need to facilitate the success of the AfCFTA, and this is dependent on boosting production,” he said.

At 4th AU Forum, VP Shettima Urges Integration Of Informal Economy Into Formal Intra-African Trade Framework

Majority Leader of Youth Parliament Calls for Outlawing Under-18 Marriage

By: Michael Mike

The Majority Leader of the Nigerian Youth Parliament, Hon. Ridwan Barade has called for the outlaw and criminalization of marriage of male or female under the age of 18.

Speaking at a National Roundtable Dialogue with High-Level Policy Makers in commemoration of of the Day of the African Child 2025 organised by the African Youth and Adolescent Network on Population and Development (AfriYAN) Nigeria and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Abuja, Barade said: “A child who is not yet done with education, who doesn’t even have the intellect of herself, is already in a house giving birth to children, which is very wrong, and if we don’t change that narrative, then we won’t be able to move forward as a country.”

He added that: “The normal age for an adult is 18, so I believe if we can have a rule that you can’t marry before 18, then I believe we’re going to have what we’re looking for,” stressing that “the government should make a rule that no parent should give their child out before 18.”

He noted that if we can be able to penalise people that are doing such things, then we’re going to be great country.

He revealed his readiness to work with other members of the Nigerian and other stakeholders to prepare the legal framework for outlawing marriage of minors, people below 18 years.

On her part, the Nigeria National Coordinator of AfriYAN, Adek Bassey has called for the involvement of more youth in governance. She said: “We should be on the roundtable where decisions are taken.”

She also advocated for transparency of programme initiated for youth by government, noting that as at now there are dearth of programmes for youth in the country.

She added that governments in the country should embark on programmes centered around youth and release funds to build youth in the country.

Bassey while commending UN and its agencies for funding programmes meant to advance the course of youth in Nigeria, said the youth will be happy when the major funds for them are from Nigerian government.

She said: “So that when we see a call from our own pool of funds from the government, all of us will be excited that this funding, we are funded by the Nigerian government. No, we are always funded by UNFPA, we are always funded by UN Women’s Agency. We want to be funded by our own Nigerian pool fund for young people, you know, let it be that accessible.

“Put your criteria for us to meet, which we are definitely going to meet and we have track records of our work. So that is what we want to see. Every year, annual call from the government, youth apply for this fund and get to do programmes and you have a tracking system to see that this funding is actually being used for this issue.”

Majority Leader of Youth Parliament Calls for Outlawing Under-18 Marriage

PEBEC Commences Nationwide Tour on Ease of Doing Business

By: Michael Mike

The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) is commencing a nationwide tour to sensitize on the ease of doing business.

The tour which would see it conducting technical sessions and town hall meetings in all the 36 states of the federation and FCT is to bring home the strategies on doing business right.

A press statement at the weekend by PEBEC read: “The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) is
pleased to announce its nationwide tour, starting on June 23, 2025, to drive the ease of doing business reforms across all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The tour will run from the last week of June into mid July.

“The tour will feature technical sessions and town hall meetings, providing a platform for stakeholders to engage with government officials, share experiences, and propose reforms to ease business operations.”

The press statement further read that: “The goal (of the tour) is to create a more conducive business environment, attracting investment, and driving economic growth across Nigeria.”

It revealed that the tour will provide an opportunity for businesses, investors, and the general public to interact with government officials, share concerns, and propose solutions to challenges hindering business growth.

“For more information about the PEBEC nationwide tour, including dates and venues for each state,” the statement asked interested Nigerians to visit PEBEC website or social media channels.

PEBEC Commences Nationwide Tour on Ease of Doing Business