Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remain the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, employing millions and contributing significantly to GDP. Yet many of these businesses continue to face long-standing challenges — from limited access to finance and digital tools to inadequate business support structures. In response, MTN Nigeria and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) have entered into a strategic partnership designed to strengthen the SME ecosystem across the country.
The collaboration was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed this week, bringing together senior representatives from both organizations, including Ayham Moussa, Lynda Saint-Nwafor, Ugonwa Nwoye, Dr. Charles Odii, Julcit Onigbogi, Njideka Jack, and Omowunmi Olatunbosun. Their presence signaled a unified commitment to accelerating the growth and sustainability of Nigeria’s small businesses.
A Digital Platform at the Centre: mySMEville
A key pillar of the partnership is mySMEville, a digital one-stop platform created to give SMEs the tools and resources they need to grow. The platform serves as a central hub where entrepreneurs can:
- Access funding opportunities from verified financial institutions and government schemes
- Connect to marketplaces and customers across Nigeria and beyond
- Receive business knowledge, training, and digital education
- Use growth-enabling tools, including digital profiles and business management resources
mySMEville aims to solve the fragmentation that often limits SME progress by bringing essential services together in a single digital ecosystem.
Why the Partnership Matters
MTN Nigeria has long invested in economic empowerment through digital inclusion, financial solutions, and capacity-building programs. SMEDAN, as the government’s foremost SME development agency, plays a central role in promoting entrepreneurship and easing barriers to business growth.
By combining these strengths, both organizations aim to create broad, high-impact interventions that address the real challenges small businesses face daily.
The partnership is expected to support nationwide efforts to:
- Expand SME access to mobile financial services
- Improve the digital capabilities of business owners
- Promote formalisation and compliance
- Strengthen business resilience, especially in underserved areas
- Enhance opportunities for youth- and women-led enterprises
Unlocking Opportunities for Nigerian Entrepreneurs
Beyond mySMEville, the collaboration also opens pathways for wider initiatives that could transform the business landscape. These may include new digital literacy programs, financial inclusion campaigns, SME acceleration programs, and partnerships with fintechs, banks, and government bodies.
MTN’s digital infrastructure and nationwide reach give the initiative the scale required to make support accessible to millions of entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, SMEDAN’s development policies and expertise provide the structure needed to ensure that interventions meet real business needs.
Mobile money partners will also play a role, enabling easier and more secure financial transactions for small businesses. By integrating digital payments and financial services into the SME journey, the partnership further supports Nigeria’s goal of expanding financial inclusion.
Strengthening the Economy Through SMEs
Nigeria’s future economic growth depends heavily on the productivity and resilience of its SMEs. However, many entrepreneurs still grapple with high operating costs, limited access to affordable credit, poor infrastructure, and a rapidly shifting economic environment.
With this partnership, MTN Nigeria and SMEDAN aim to tackle these challenges from multiple angles — empowering entrepreneurs not only to survive but to scale, innovate, and create jobs.
If successfully implemented, the initiative could:
- Increase SME competitiveness
- Improve business productivity through digitisation
- Boost economic participation for millions of microbusinesses
- Create stronger value chains across agriculture, retail, tech, manufacturing, and the creative economy
A Step Toward a More Inclusive Digital Economy
The MTN–SMEDAN alliance represents a forward-looking approach to SME development, blending public-sector support with private-sector innovation. It sets the stage for improved access to opportunities, especially for entrepreneurs who have historically lacked the tools needed to grow.
As Nigeria continues pushing toward a more inclusive digital economy, this partnership could become a model for how collaboration between government and corporates can unlock economic transformation.
For now, entrepreneurs across the country can look forward to expanded resources, better support networks, and a more enabling business environment — one where small businesses can thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development.
