SMEDAN partners Facebook, Google on digital skills for MSMEs

By Ese Awhotu

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, has entered into partnership with Facebook and Google towards providing quality digital skills training for MSMEs in Nigeria.
This latest move is in line with global practice in linking and bridging the communication gaps between MSMEs and the global market place.
A statement from the Corporate Affairs Unit of the Agency yesterday, stated that, the training will commence on Monday 19th August 2019 in nineteen states and the federal capital territory Abuja.
The statement further quoted the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda as saying the training programme was a topmost priority of the Agency considering the importance of information and communication technology ICT to the development of MSMEs worldwide adding Nigeria cannot be an exception.
Dr Radda also added that the agency partnered with Facebook and Google to bridge the gaps between MSMEs and the global market, “We have witnessed how small businesses are making their impact felt in the social media using Facebook , instagram and even twitter, they huge make sales, this training will further build their capacity in making more inroads into the market,” he added The SMEDAN boss pointed out that the digital skills would be handled by Google and Facebook while SMEDAN will take charge of the entrepreneurship development aspect of the training.
According to him, besides bridging the communication gaps, the training was also meant to improve efficiency in form of getting a good internet presence; increase productivity through the use of ICT; reduce the exposure to cyber threat and to fast track access to information and e mails.
“We also hope to use the training to get basic knowledge on optimization and search engine workings and introduce MSMEs to the business side of Google and Facebook,” he said.