The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) have partnered to expand access to MSME development programs across Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
The partnership is aimed at taking more business support opportunities closer to entrepreneurs and small businesses operating within local communities.
One of the major areas of the collaboration is the grassroots implementation of SMEDAN’s One Local Government One Product (OLOP) program.
What Is SMEDAN OLOP?
The One Local Government One Product (OLOP) program is designed to identify products, businesses and economic activities that have strong potential within different local government areas.
Rather than treating every community as having the same economic strengths, OLOP focuses on identifying what individual communities can produce or develop competitively.
For example, a local government with strong agricultural production may have businesses built around a particular crop, food product or agricultural value chain. Another area may have opportunities in manufacturing, crafts, processing or other forms of local production.
The program is intended to help develop these local strengths and connect businesses with the support and markets needed to grow.
What Is the SMEDAN-ALGON Partnership About?
The partnership gives local governments a greater role in identifying entrepreneurs and businesses operating within their communities.
SMEDAN and ALGON will work with local governments to identify businesses and connect suitable entrepreneurs with relevant MSME interventions.
This approach is intended to make it easier to identify the specific economic activities taking place within different communities and determine the type of support businesses may need.
The partnership covers areas such as enterprise formalization, access to finance, skills development, market access, digital adoption, business advisory services, local production and value-chain development.
It will further support the mapping and identification of businesses within local government areas, creating information that can be used when planning targeted interventions.
Who Is SMEDAN OLOP For?
OLOP is relevant to entrepreneurs, MSMEs and other stakeholders involved in developing products and economic activities within their local communities.
Potential participants include:
- Small and medium-sized businesses
- Entrepreneurs
- Agribusinesses
- Local producers and manufacturers
- Community groups
- Local government authorities
- Other stakeholders involved in local economic development
Businesses involved in agriculture and agribusiness can participate, particularly where a local product or economic activity has potential for further development.
The program is not limited to agriculture. OLOP can cover different products and industries based on the economic strengths and opportunities available within a particular local government area.
What Support Can Businesses Access?
Support connected to OLOP and the wider SMEDAN-ALGON partnership can cover several areas of business development.
These include technical assistance, capacity building, market linkages and business advisory support.
The wider partnership also covers access to finance, digital adoption, enterprise formalization and value-chain development.
For a small business, these forms of support can address different stages of growth. A business may need help formalizing its operations, improving production, developing new skills, finding customers, adopting digital tools or connecting with opportunities within its value chain.
The specific support available to a business will depend on the relevant SMEDAN intervention and the activities identified within the local government area.
Why Is OLOP Being Taken to the Local Government Level?
Local governments are closer to the businesses and entrepreneurs operating in their communities.
Through the partnership with ALGON, SMEDAN can work with local authorities to identify economic activities and businesses that may not be easily reached through programs focused mainly on major commercial centers.
The arrangement is intended to give SMEDAN a better understanding of the products, businesses and economic strengths found across different communities.
For entrepreneurs, this creates a channel through which local businesses can be identified and connected to broader MSME development opportunities.
How to Participate in SMEDAN OLOP
Businesses, entrepreneurs and other eligible stakeholders interested in the OLOP program can visit the official SMEDAN program page for information about the initiative and available opportunities.
The available participation or application process should be checked directly on the SMEDAN platform, as specific requirements may depend on the particular OLOP activity or intervention.
Entrepreneurs interested in benefiting from the program should have basic business information and details about their products or services available when required.
The SMEDAN-ALGON partnership is intended to strengthen the connection between local businesses and MSME development programs across Nigeria’s 774 LGAs, while OLOP provides a platform for identifying and developing products with potential within individual communities.
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