Vanguard, EFS Partner BoI, SMEDAN, NASME, Convene MSME  Summit 2022

Vanguard Newspapers and The Economic Forum Series ®️ (EFS) have announced they are convening the 3rd Annual MSME Summit.

A statement said the third edition of the annual summit with the theme: Enhancing MSME’s Productivity and Growth in an Emerging Digital Economy will hold on August 25 at the Civic Center in Lagos. 

The hybrid live event scheduled to begin at 9am will be streamed live across Vanguard’s multi-media cross channel platforms.

The statement  said the conference in strategic partnership with Bank of Industry (BoI) and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) will feature key players, stakeholders, regulatory and policy decision makers across the MSME sub-sectors, MDAs, NGOs, Academia, Development Finance Institutions, Industry and Business Thought Leaders.

It added that speakers and panelists carefully selected in view of the thematic and strategic nature of conversation were subject matter experts from the Academia, Finance, Technology, Banking, Trade Unions, etc.  

Minister of State for Industry, Trade & Investment, Ambassador Mariam Yelwaji Katagum, will give a goodwill message to officially kickstart the event. 

 Speakers and Panelists at the Summit will include: Keynote speaker

Prof. Olayinka David-West, 

Other distinguished Speakers/Panelists include: 

MD/CEO, Bank of Industry (BoI), Mr. Olukayode Pitan; DG/CEO, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN),

Mr. Olawale Fasanya; Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar  Garba Danbatta; President, NASME & NiQIF, Engr. Abdulrashid Yerima; Chairman, Association of Licensed Mobile Payment Operators (ALMPO) &  Co-founder, PAGA, Mr. Jay Alabraba; DG, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dr. Chinyere Almona; MD/CEO, Credit Direct, Dr. Akinwande Ademosu, and Partner at PwC, Esiri  Agbeyi.

Announcing the forthcoming event in Lagos, Jude Ndu, Founder, EFS said this year’s summit would discuss and examine critical issues around MSMEs Productivity and Growth within the context of an emerging digital economy, deeply dialogue and proffer policy solutions on MSME businesses digital transformation and Financing Innovation model.

Mr. Ndu emphasized that the sub-theme: ‘Digitising Payments and MSME Financing Innovation for Unlocking Untapped Access to Credit’ will broaden and deepen the nature of the panel discussion. 

Ndu recalled the 2021 Summit had ‘Ecobank’ as its Title Sponsor and was virtual due to the Covid-19 restrictions. 

Also speaking, Ukaobisike Uzoije, Associate Director, DiGiCOMM Enterprises (Technical Partner to Economic Forum Series ®️) noted that  “Digicomm is involved through the high-level strategic partnership with The Economic Forum Series®️ and Vanguard Newspapers in the area of conceptualisation, synthesis, design and execution of high profile events, among others”.

He noted that the upcoming MSME summit would present a robust content, brand building and high-value networking opportunity for Brands and Marketers to connect with target audience and stakeholders within the broader MSME, Finance and Technology ecosystem.

The Forum will present an audience engagement of members of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDAN) and the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) with the FinTechs and other key players and stakeholders with a view to exploring  digital financing innovation model for MSMEs.