Tinubu Welcomes $12 Million Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship to Support SMEs and Job Growth

# What happened President Bola Ahmed Tinubu praised the construction of a new $12 million Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship, saying it will strengthen Nigeria's small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) ecosystem, promote business growth and accelerate job creation. The project is funded by the Republic of Korea through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and is sited at the SMEDAN Industrial Development Centre in Idu, Abuja.

# Who's involved Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and KOICA are implementing partners. The partners plan to work with universities, financial institutions, private-sector groups and entrepreneur networks to build a support system for businesses.

# Money and how it will be used The $12 million investment is allocated across two main areas:

• $5.9 million for construction of the facility.
• $6.1 million for advanced equipment and comprehensive business support programmes.

# What the centre will provide The facility is planned to offer modern workspaces, digital facilities, professional training, business incubation and broader enterprise support services. It will feature specialized, accessible facilities for persons with disabilities and crèche services to help women with young children participate.

# Who the centre will serve The centre is based in Abuja but is designed to serve enterprises across the Federal Capital Territory and nearby cities, including Kaduna, Jos, Keffi, Lafia, Minna, Makurdi and Lokoja. Initial program targets are:

• 500 entrepreneurs
• 400 start-ups
• 1,500 established businesses

# Why the government supports it President Tinubu described small businesses as central to economic activity, supplying jobs and supporting families at the grassroots. He said many entrepreneurs have viable ideas but lack access to facilities, technology, training and institutional support. The centre aims to address those gaps and help more businesses start, survive and expand.

# together Implementing partners (SMEDAN, KOICA and UNDP) plan to collaborate with universities, financial institutions, private firms and entrepreneur networks to identify high-potential enterprises and deliver programmes at the centre.

# What was said publicly Tinubu thanked the South Korean Government for the investment and commended development partners for advancing the project to its current construction phase. He reiterated Nigeria's commitment to strategic partnerships that expand local enterprise development and economic opportunities.

# Takeaway for entrepreneurs and policy watchers Entrepreneurship is a targeted investment in infrastructure and services for SMEs, combining construction and equipment funding with hands-on business support. It aims to broaden access to facilities and training for a defined initial cohort of entrepreneurs and existing businesses, with geographic reach into several Northern cities.