FCTA Plans Digital Academy In Abuja

By: Tony Odey & Halima Farouk

In a bid to boost the capacity of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs), in the nation’s capital, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), will establish a state-of the-art Digital Academy to be domiciled in the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA).

The Acting Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of AEA, Mr. Chudi Ugwuada-Ezirigwe, made the disclosure while briefing FCT Minister’s Press Corps on its activities and future projections during the end of the year media parley in Mabushi District, Abuja.

The Managing Director said that the Academy is expected to enhance the SMEs digital capacity and transform the sector in tune with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.

According to him, the Centre which is expected to serve as a centralize hub for SMEs, would in addition deepen SMEs business activities as well as open new market opportunities.

Ugwuada-Ezirigwe also revealed that aside the establishment of a Digital Academy, plan is underway to set up a World-class Automobile Service Centre and Panteka Enterprise Incubation Hub, in a bid to give young people the platform to put their potentials to productive use.

While stressing that the overall objective is to make Abuja stand out as the leading city for entrepreneurial development in Nigeria, he remarked that the Agency is also working assiduously to support the growth of 150,000 MSMEs.

His words:”The Agency will expand the provision of business development services to cover 50,000 MSMEs, strengthen the entrepreneurial eco-system synergy coordination as well as positioning FCT as a clean energy city.”

Dwelling extensively on the achievements of the organization within the period under review, the Managing Director outlined few key milestones to include: financing of 4,761 businesses, sensitization and promotion of entrepreneurship to 9,557 people, provision of business support services to 3,691 rural entrepreneurs in the six Area Councils of FCT.

He noted that the Agency has fostered dialogue and interactive sessions between MSMEs and Regulatory Organizations, engagement with the community and rehabilitation of Cassava Processing Centre in Chikuku in Kwali Area Council and revitalization of Shea Butter Project Concept in Abaji Area Council.

In the area of corporate partnership, the Acting MD, acknowledged European Union as a formidable partner for supporting the Agency in the growth of SMEs; KOICA and JICA for building staff capacity, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), for business registration and incorporation facilitation, as well as SMEDAN for midwifing business funding and NIDTA for information technology training for the staff of the Agency, amongst others.

Ugwuada-Ezirigwe used the occasion to pledge the support of the Management and Staff of Abuja Enterprise Agency to the Minister of FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, and the Minister of State, FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, in their efforts to provide enduring infrastructure in the nation’s capital city of Abuja.