The Enugu State Government, under the leadership of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has launched a structured equipment-support programme for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), aimed at boosting productivity, creating jobs, and strengthening the state’s local economy.
The initiative is being implemented through the Enugu SME Centre (Enugu MSME & Startup Agency) in partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), aligning with the administration’s Tomorrow is Here development agenda.
Speaking on the programme, Mr. Arinze Chilo-Offiah, Special Adviser to the Governor on Digital Economy and MSMEs and Director-General of the Enugu SME Centre, described the intervention as a deliberate policy by the Mbah administration to transform small businesses from subsistence operations into scalable, competitive enterprises.
“Under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, and through the Enugu SME Centre in partnership with SMEDAN, the Enugu State Government is delivering targeted equipment support grants to MSMEs across the state,” Chilo-Offiah said.
He explained that the programme is designed to replace manual, low-output operations with modern production capacity capable of sustaining jobs and driving local value chains. “This intervention is a deliberate economic strategy to move enterprises from manual operations to productive, competitive, and job-creating businesses, strengthening local value chains and accelerating inclusive growth under the Tomorrow is Here agenda,” he added.
Chilo-Offiah further emphasized that the programme is more than ceremonial empowerment. “This is not empowerment for show — it is economic infrastructure for sustainable development,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Ms. Chinelo Eunice Chukwura, a fashion designer and owner of Nelo House of Fashion, revealed how the support had significantly transformed her business.
Ms. Chukwura, an indigene of Anambra State residing in Enugu, explained that she received an industrial sewing machine under the 2023 SMEDAN grants facilitated by the Enugu State Government through the Enugu SME Centre.
“I was given an industrial sewing machine, and it has been a tremendous boost to my business,” she said. “I am now able to produce more clothing and employ additional staff.”
She added that the new equipment had reduced waiting time for customers. “I have also been sewing a lot of ready-to-wear outfits, which means customers no longer have to wait long before getting their clothes,” she noted.
Expressing gratitude, Ms. Chukwura acknowledged the role of the state leadership in making the programme possible. “I wish to express my special appreciation to His Excellency, Dr. Peter Mbah, for this grant. I am truly grateful and thankful, as it has made a significant impact on my business,” she said.
She also thanked the leadership of the Enugu SME Centre, adding: “I sincerely appreciate and thank Hon. Arinze Chilo-Offiah. God bless you. Thank you very much, Enugu State.”
The MSME equipment support scheme is part of the Enugu State Government’s broader economic reform agenda, aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, deepening industrial activity, and positioning Enugu as a leading hub for small business growth in the South-East.
