In series of ongoing reforms targeted at easing the processes of doing business in Nigeria as well as encouraging the Medium Small and Micro Enterprise (MSME), key government agencies like the National Agency for Food,Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) will now issue approvals
within 90 days.
The Standard Organisations (SON) of Nigeria have also committed to complete all its processes in terms of testing and certifications within 60 days.
Okechukwu Enelamah,Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment disclosed this after a follow up meeting on the MSME clinic that was launched in Abia state by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, Tuesday.
The MSME clinic was created as a medium of intervention with the individual agencies to solve the problem of the MSMEs on the spot.
“As you know Aba is a place well known for its products, industry and entrepreneurship. It is a very good example of how partnership can happen within the private sector and the government. Between states and federal government and between funding agencies and enterprise.
“So with specific reference to MSME, we have received commitments to some of our key agencies like NAFDAC that they will do everything possible to give any approvals that they need to give within 90 days, which as you know is quite ambitious and is something that we welcome very much.
“We received similar assurances from standards organisation of Nigeria that where they need to give certifications or set standards or whatever approvals that MSMEs will need from them, that they will work with 60 days time frame from start to finish, including testings and all the other things. The important thing about this is the commitment of working with them to get the solutions or services from government speedily, transparently and readily’ Enelamah told journalists after
the meeting on Tuesday.
The National Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Clinics, was launched in January by the Acting President at the Presidential Villa. Osinbajo had proceeded to Aba on the 26th where the first clinic was held.
The Clinics will be run in 21 states across the six geopolitical zones of the country starting from the 26th of January and will continue in other states till the 17th of December 2017.
The MSME clinics which will serve as a one stop shop for dealing with various business issues will focus on enhanced service delivery of agencies directly involved in pre-business approvals. During the run of the clinics in the different states of the federation, key government agencies with whom the MSMEs interact with, will come together in one place to allow for consultations by small businesses.
The businesses are expected to get on the spot solutions to their requests.
The follow up meeting was attended by regulatory agencies, Abia state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, the minister and the minister of state for Trade and Investment, including heads of Bank of Industry, Export Promotion Council amongst others, with an intent to review the first
outing in Aba.
“The regulatory agencies are committed now to specific days or time frame between which more businesses can register and get certification for their products.
we have received additional advice of what we need to do in Abia state to create the environment for federal government to step in to make us acquire equipments and machineries to drive the automation of our products going forward” the governor also told newsmen at the State
House.
