By establishing the SMEDAN Climate and Green Energy Desk (SCGED), the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has made a substantial contribution to the battle against climate change.
The agency’s recently appointed Director General, Mr. Charles Odii, unveiled this bold initiative, which seeks to empower and assist small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) that are actively involved in the development of sustainable energy solutions and other measures for mitigating and adapting to climate change.
It is impossible to overestimate how urgent this project is, given that Nigeria’s economy depends heavily on industries such as agriculture and sustainable electricity generation, which are particularly impacted by the climate issue.
Nigeria is already losing N100 billion to the effects of climate change and could lose as much as N460 billion by 2050 unless decisive action is taken, according to a 2022 study done by the Centre for Climate Change and Development at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University in Ebonyi State.
Extreme weather occurrences that disproportionately impact small businesses in marginalized populations, such as flooding, desertification, and irregular rainfall patterns, are already a problem for the country.
Through encouraging entrepreneurial inventions that tackle the urgent problems brought on by climate change, SCGED is poised to play a crucial role. It will carry out in-depth research and development to pinpoint the precise challenges faced by SMEs in the field of climate entrepreneurship.
Read also
- Apply Now: Africa deep tech challenge 2025
- Meta launches Llama startup program to boost AI innovation
- APPLY NOW: Booking Staff
- APPLY NOW: Accountant
It will also create a thorough database of SMEs involved in this industry and provide them programs for capacity-building and training to improve their expertise.
Offering financial support is one of SCEID’s pillars; it enables SMEs addressing the climate challenge to take use of both domestic and international funding sources. In order to promote collaboration in the delivery of creative solutions for environmental sustainability, the project also intends to form alliances with international organizations.
The SCEID program, according to Mr. Charles Odii, Director General of SMEDAN, demonstrates the organization’s dedication to providing Nigerian SMEs with the capital, know-how, and connections that enable them to use local innovations to address issues both domestically and globally.
The project was praised by Inga Stefanowicz, the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS’s Head of Section for Green and Digital Economy, who was present at the occasion. She emphasized how it is in line with the main objectives of the EU, especially when it comes to tackling climate concerns associated with energy efficiency, renewable energy, and economic diversification with the goal of creating jobs.
The FCT Mandate Secretary, Mr. Bitrus Lawrence Garki, who was present at the ceremony, stressed how happy the government is to work with the Climate Change Desk. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to collaborating with the desk to provide small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) with sustainable solutions, especially in areas that are critical to creating an environment that is conducive to business.
The Global Entrepreneurship Network’s Managing Director in Nigeria, Dr. Olawale Anifowose, emphasized the importance of the occasion once more. He emphasized how crucial it is to use innovation in the green economy, seeing it as a vital component that will open up new doors for the nation’s prosperity.
By developing ground-breaking solutions in fields like renewable energy, sustainable farming, waste management and recycling, robotics, and transportation, among others, climate entrepreneurs, according to SMEDAN, will play a critical role in guaranteeing a sustainable future for the nation and sparking new waves of economic growth.
The project is in line with international efforts to solve the urgent climate issues endangering the earth.
The organization has encouraged SMEs and climate entrepreneurs to seize this chance by registering for assistance on its special website,
www.smedan.gov.ng/SCGED
http://www.smedan.gov.ng/SCGED.
Discover more from SMALL BUSINESS INSIGHTS
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.
