Promoting Entrepreneurship in Rural Communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria

ABUJA (ILO News): In its quest to promote entrepreneurship in the FCT and its environs, the Abuja Enterprise Agency has approached the International Labour Organization (ILO) to explore possibilities for collaboration. During a courtesy call to the ILO office in Abuja, AEA and ILO agreed to do a joint project site visit to view first-hand the work that AEA was doing to improve the livelihoods of the rural communities around Abuja.

On 26 April 2018, a management team from the ILO Office in Abuja and that of AEA visited four project sites of the One Village One Product (OVOP) Shea butter processing centres in Nuku and Rimba Communities of Abaji Area Council, the Cassava Processing Center in Chukuku Community of Kuje Area Council and the FCT Micro Finance Bank in Kwali.

The Director of the ILO Nigeria Office, Mr. Dennis Zulu, expressed his delight with the work done by the processing centres and expressed readiness to partner with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through the AEA to promote entrepreneurship and job creation in the FCT.

During the project site visits, ILO and AEA also discussed possible opportunities for collaboration in enhancing, the quality, production processes and mechanisms for the rural women producing shea butter and cassava products. The Project participants highlighted their needs and challenges that they faced in project delivery and ensuring it’s sustainability. The Director noted that there were a lot of entrepreneurial opportunities in Abuja, which if well harnessed, could create job opportunities for women and youth in the FCT including in rural areas. He expressed his willingness to work with AEA on issues ranging from accessing micro-credit for businesses to skills development, entrepreneurship and enterprise development and organizing cooperative societies.

The Agency reiterated their interest to work with ILO in developing relevant programs and activities aimed at stimulating and nurturing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). Mr. Zulu emphasized the need for collaboration to ensure the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria and looked forward to formalizing the collaboration with the signing of a memorandum of understanding. Both organisations agreed to a technical meeting to identify areas of technical need and support for the promotion of enterprise and skills development in the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).