The Job Creation and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Secretariat in the Office of the Vice President has received over 60,000 applications from small business entrepreneurs across the country for the 2025 National MSMEs Award.
Mr. Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
StarReporters recalls that the secretariat announced on March 3 that the overall winner of the 2025 MSMEs Award would receive a car, a house, a shop, and a cash prize valued at N700 million.
Adekunle-Johnson noted that the application portal for the awards was opened on March 7, following a press conference by the Awards Committee, during which a new category for persons living with disabilities was introduced.
“About three weeks into the submission process, over 60,000 applications have been received, with agricultural-based enterprises leading the pack,” he stated.
He added that applications had also come from businesses in the Information and Digital Technology sector, the Creative Industry, Leatherworks, Furniture and Woodwork, Manufacturing, Fashion, Beauty and Cosmetics, and entrepreneurs living with disabilities.
According to the presidential aide, the overwhelming response reflects the growing interest in the awards, with entries coming from all parts of the country, including Lagos, Aba, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Makurdi, Birnin Kebbi, Damaturu, and Abakaliki.
“The enthusiasm shown by small enterprises across the country highlights the credibility and impact of the awards in fostering growth within Nigeria’s MSME sector,” he said.
Adekunle-Johnson emphasized that the incentives for the 2025 award winners underscored the federal government’s commitment—alongside private sector support—to transforming the MSME space in Nigeria.
“This initiative recognizes the contributions of MSMEs to economic development and job creation,” he added.
He also noted that the technical team overseeing the application process had given positive feedback on the submissions so far.
Adekunle-Johnson encouraged more small businesses to take advantage of the opportunity and submit their entries before the portal closes on April 7.
“They are advised to visit https://msmeclinics.gov.ng/ to complete the application process,” he stated.
(NAN)