Nigeria: Cross River State Set To Host The First International MSME Expedition In Calabar Tagged Tinapa MSME 2016
The saying that the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the engine room for economic development in view of current economic realities has turned out to become a phrase of economic importance.
Known for his high-tech business acumen and leadership prowess, the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Senator (Prof) Ben Ayade has approved the engagement of an international consulting firm, G-Consulting International Services to execute the International MSME Expedition program aimed at bringing together MSME practitioners and promoters across the world.
Targeting over 5,000 (five thousand participants across the world), according to the National Coordinator, International MSME Expedition (IME), Mr Godfrey Ajayi Sunday, the program is designed to effectively promote international training on MSME, tourism and conferencing using the state of the art facilities of the International Convention Centre and Tinapa to actively impact the MSMEs in the African continent through the instrumentality of global organizing.
“It is important to mention that the 6-days event, in addition to ensuring international networking and partnerships opportunities for the MSMEs, is designed to solve the myriads of problems faced by MSMEs as a result of capacity deficiency, lack of access to finance and unfriendly business environment in the continent, Mr Godfrey Ajayi stated.”
During the flag off of the planning ceremony, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Events, Honourable Ken Akla noted that, 'drawing from experience of 2015 Carnivals which normally takes place in December, the government of Senator (Prof) Ben Ayade wants to use the mid-year event to draw attention of the world to increasing MSME financing window in what can be referred to as MSME festival. This year’s event which will be the first will be used to draw the world attention to the state of the art facilities and the hospitality and warmness of the ‘Crossriverians’.'
“The International MSME Expedition is expected to avail Microfinance Institutions/Banks, Promoters and Managers of SMEs an affordable opportunity to access international standard trainings, conferencing, and tourism and award opportunities” he said.
The IME program billed to commence on July 31st to August 6th with four days of intensive training sessions on 12 different courses including (Agricultural lending, Strategic Marketing, Digital Finance, Micro housing, Cooperative Management, Community Microfinance, Non-Oil Sector Strategies, Effective Communication, Greenhouse and renewable energy and Corporate Governance).
The fifth day will be the Linking MSMEs to Finance conference entitled ‘facilitating domestic and international financing for MSMEs in Africa’, which is meant to galvanize and refocus the attention of global players and African leaders; the academia, regulators and philanthropists in particular to “walk the talk” with regards to financing MSMEs in the continent.
The concluding day of the event in the morning will be the marathon for microfinance in which the Executive Governor is expected to jog with microfinance promoters, practitioners and beneficiaries in company of notable athletes and government officials in support of the achievements in poverty reduction through the sub-sector. The event will come to a close in the evening with dinner, an award and crowning of the Miss Microfinance Global Ambassador.
The night is meant to to recognize African entrepreneurs making impact in the production and promotion of locally consumed and exported products as well as crown a beauty queen that will continue to advocate for friendly MSME business environment.