Governor Ododo Presents Grants, CAC Certificates To SME Beneficiaries As Part Of Ongoing Enterprise Empowerment Drive

By Taiye Bayode

In recognition of the critical role small businesses play in driving job creation, reducing poverty, and strengthening local economies, the Kogi State Government has continued to deepen its support for entrepreneurs across the state through direct empowerment initiatives targeted at formalizing and funding small enterprises.

In furtherance of this commitment, His Excellency, Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, presented Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) certificates and financial grants to a cross-section of small business owners in Kogi State, at an event organized by the Kogi Enterprise Development Agency (KEDA) at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Lokoja.

The gesture formed part of the wider distribution of CAC certificates to beneficiaries and the launch of the SMEs Business Support Cooperative, an initiative of the state government aimed at formalizing small businesses and improving their access to funding, training, and market opportunities.

The Governor who was represented by the Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Comrade Joel Salifu, carried out a symbolic presentation of CAC certificates to a select number of beneficiaries drawn from various trades, formally recognising the completion of their business registration process with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

In addition to the certificates, cheques were presented to selected entrepreneurs under a support scheme facilitated through the collaboration of KEDA with private-sector partners, whose contributions were channelled toward empowering beneficiaries drawn from trades such as tailoring, food vending, phone repairs, and small-scale trading.

Speaking during the presentation, officials of KEDA noted that the gesture was designed to give beneficiaries a head start following their training and registration, describing it as a demonstration of government’s commitment to ensuring that support for entrepreneurs goes beyond paperwork to tangible assistance.

The Deputy Governor, used the opportunity to reaffirm the state government’s commitment to supporting micro, small and medium enterprises, noting that empowering businesses remains one of the fastest ways to reduce poverty and stimulate economic activity across communities in the state, commending the recipients for taking the bold step of formalizing their businesses and charged them to put the grants to judicious use in growing their enterprises.

This presentation once again forms part of the broader commitment of the Ododo Administration to building an inclusive enterprise ecosystem where small businesses are not only formalized but actively supported to grow, create jobs, and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economic development.