Israel Oluyemi
The Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Charles Odii, has moved to expand the Inspire, Create, Start and Scale (ICSS) framework as a national tool to strengthen small business growth across Nigeria.
He made the announcement in Abuja during the 2026 ICSS4ALL National Convening, where he linked the initiative to efforts aimed at improving entrepreneurship outcomes and expanding access to finance.
Odii explained that SMEDAN designed the ICSS framework to address gaps in business readiness that continue to limit MSME expansion despite their strong role in the economy.
He said the lack of a unified training system has long affected entrepreneurs’ ability to access funding, noting, “Entrepreneurs were labelled unbankable, not because they lacked potential, but because they lacked structured preparation.”
He added that MSMEs remain central to Nigeria’s economy, contributing significantly to jobs and output, and require stronger support systems to sustain growth.
Odii stated that the ICSS model provides structured learning that builds technical, managerial and financial competence for business owners from idea stage to scale.
He stressed that the framework also improves entrepreneurs’ chances of securing funding by helping them present structured and credible business plans.
SMEDAN has already established an ICSS Institute in Abuja to coordinate implementation and standardise delivery of the programme nationwide.
The agency also secured approval from the Federal Ministry of Education to ensure the certification carries national recognition.
Odii revealed that SMEDAN launched a digital platform under the initiative to extend training access to more entrepreneurs across different regions.
He noted that the agency is working to integrate the framework into the National MSME Policy to ensure long-term adoption.
He said implementation will scale through partnerships with organisations such as GIZ, GOPA and Kaduna Business School, which support training and delivery.
Odii reiterated SMEDAN’s commitment to expanding the programme, stating that the goal is to strengthen the foundation of Nigeria’s MSME sector for sustainable growth.