The Enugu State Government, under Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has invested more than ₦840 million in over 14,000 women nanoentrepreneurs across market clusters in the 17 local government areas of the state.
The intervention, implemented under the NG-CARES 1.0 Result Area 3 through the Enugu MSME & Startup Agency (Enugu SME Center), involved the disbursement of ₦60,000 to each beneficiary across market clusters in every ward of the state.
According to the Enugu SME Center, the initiative reflects Governor Mbah’s deliberate effort to ensure that economic growth reaches markets, communities and households, particularly businesses that often struggle to access conventional financing.
The agency said the intervention was informed by statewide nanoenterprise data showing that 68 per cent of nanoenterprises in Enugu are owned by women, while 92.55 per cent do not operate business bank accounts and 70.12 per cent primarily conduct transactions in cash.
The statement said the administration recognises that women operating businesses in community markets are important participants in the state’s economic transformation.
“For her, ₦60,000 is not simply a grant. It is working capital, additional inventory, increased turnover and greater household resilience,” the statement said.
It added that the capital injected into more than 14,000 businesses would have a wider multiplier effect, as beneficiaries spend on supplies, farm produce, goods and transportation, thereby supporting other players across the local economy.
The Enugu SME Center stressed that the intervention was not concentrated in the state capital, but deliberately extended to market clusters in every ward across the 17 LGAs.
“This reflects Governor Mbah’s vision of growth that is inclusive, data-driven and deliberately decentralised,” the statement said.
The agency acknowledged the support of the World Bank and the Bank of Industry (BOI) in delivering the intervention.
It said the initiative had reached more than 14,000 women, covering every ward and all 17 LGAs, with over ₦840 million invested directly into the grassroots economy.
