Dear entrepreneurs, How are you doing today? Someone is surprised, right? Yes, I am Olu from MSME Africa and not Ododoola as you had expected. Ododoola has stepped aside and I will be your anchor on this bit going forward. Emi lókan ( It’s my turn ). 😀😀
All I can promise you is fun, humour, education and loads of relevant information delivered into your mailbox every week. You’ll love it !! Maybe I should also announce to you that it’s your turn, just like it’s mine right now. You’ve watched others launch, scale, pivot, and maybe even crash spectacularly—while you’ve been patiently waiting, strategizing, and perfecting your next move. Well, guess what? The universe just rang the bell, and it’s officially your turn! No more waiting on the sidelines, no more “one day” speeches—this is your moment to take that brilliant idea, that side hustle, or that struggling-but-still-standing business and turn it into a success story. The road may be bumpy, but remember: every empire started with a single brave step. So, dust off that business plan, call that potential partner, and send that email you’ve been overthinking. Your dreams won’t build themselves, and no, there’s no fairy god-investor coming to sprinkle capital on you while you sleep. The only magic formula is action. Stay resilient, stay creative, and most importantly—stay in the game. Because this time? It’s your turn. Here’s what I have for you today:
Trending Business NewsNigerian Government Unveils New Loan Initiative to Support SMEs
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to introduce a new initiative aimed at making it easier for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across the country to access loans. This move is part of a broader effort to boost entrepreneurship, strengthen industrial growth, and enhance Nigeria’s economic competitiveness. Get more details HERE Standard Chartered Bank Graduates Second Cohort of Revolving Fund Program, Empowering Young Entrepreneurs
Standard Chartered Bank (Nigeria) Limited, in collaboration with Youth Business International and FATE Foundation, has successfully graduated the second cohort of the Revolving Fund Programme (RFP), a key initiative under its global Futuremakers youth economic empowerment program. Read more Lagos Unveils N500 Million Farmers’ Subsidy to Tackle Food Inflation
The Lagos State Government has launched the Ounje Eko Farmers’ Subsidy Programme, a N500 million initiative aimed at supporting farmers and stabilizing food prices. The program, which provides a 25% subsidy on poultry and fish feed, is expected to ease production costs, enhance food supply, and make essential food items more affordable for Lagos residents.Get more details HERE Tony Elumelu Calls for More Capital, Mentorship to Boost African Entrepreneurship
Founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation and Group Chairman of UBA, Tony Elumelu has urged for increased access to capital and mentorship to support Africa’s young entrepreneurs, emphasizing that these factors are crucial to unlocking the continent’s economic potential.. More details HERE Fidelity Bank Launches SME Hub to Boost Entrepreneurs and the Creative Industry
Fidelity Bank has unveiled the Fidelity SME Hub, a dedicated facility aimed at supporting Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) and creative entrepreneurs in Nigeria. The hub, located in Lagos, is designed to provide businesses with the resources, training, and networking opportunities they need to scale and thrive in a competitive economy. Read more Opportunity GaloreCall For Applications: LSETF MSME Loan (from N50,000 to as high as N5,000,000)
The LSETF MSME Loan Portal is now open. Lagos-based business owners can now access loans ranging from N50,000 to as high as N5,000,000. Get more details and Apply today Call For Applications: Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) For SMEs and Women-led Enterprises( Up to $2M in funding)
The Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) invites applications for financial support from projects that aim to transform commodity value chains and uplift smallholder and SME-based enterprises in CFC member countries. The CFC provides a variety of financial and technical support options to empower SMEs, cooperatives, International Commodity Bodies (ICBs), and other institutions, particularly those led by or supporting women in agriculture. Get more details and apply. Call For Applications: SIA Startup Foundry Cohort 2 For Entrepreneurs in Nigeria (Up to $10,000 in Grants)
SIA Foundation’s Startup Foundry is poised to transform 50 businesses in 6 months. The program offers financing, mentorship, skill training, and networking opportunities to drive business challenges and amplify Nigeria’s entrepreneurial vibrancy. Get more details HERE Call For Applications: Songhai/Mastercard Youth Agricultural Empowerment Scheme 2025 For Nigerians (Fully Sponsored )
The Songhai/Mastercard Youth Agricultural Empowerment Scheme is aimed at training and Seeding over 3,000 young Nigerians in agriculture; particularly 70% of young women within the next 3 years as modern farm managers/technicians, and agro-entrepreneurs. Get more details here. Call For Applications: FATE Foundation Revolving Fund Program For Nano Businesses (Funding, Low-Interest Loan from N500K to N10M)
FATE Foundation in partnership with Youth Business International (YBI) and Standard Chartered Foundation, is excited to announce the launch of the Revolving Fund Programme to support 300 Nano and Micro Enterprises for the next 3 years. This program is a part of the Futuremakers Global Youth economic empowerment initiative to support Youth businesses globally. Get more details and apply HERE You can access many more opportunities HERE Fun Facts about EntrepreneurshipDid you know that Interswitch was the first unicorn in Nigeria, achieving unicorn status in November 2019. It's also Africa's oldest unicorn. A unicorn is a privately held startup company valued at over $1 billion.Interswitch became a unicorn in November 2019 after Visa acquired a minority stake in the company for $200 million.Founded by Mitchell Elegbe in 2002, Interswitch is a digital payments and commerce company that provides solutions like online payment gateways, interbank transaction switching, and third-party card processing. Some Resources For YouHow MSMEs Can Build Multiple Streams of Income in a High-Inflation Economy: The Nigerian Experience Artificial Intelligence and Africa’s Digital Transformation: The Need for Infrastructure Development How To Bridge The Digital Divide In Africa; An Easy Approach _______________________________________ For more news, opportunities, resources, and other items, kindly visit: www.msmeafricaonline.com Follow us on social media: YouTube , Instagram, Twitter (X), Facebook, LinkedIn Join other Entrepreneurs across Africa in the MSME Africa Community HERE Till next time Olu, MSME Africa MSME Africa Pulse is free today. But if you enjoyed this post, you can tell MSME Africa Pulse that their writing is valuable by pledging a future subscription. You won't be charged unless they enable payments.
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Saturday, 8 February 2025
It’s Your Turn
IFC, Lagos Free Zone seal $50M deal to boost industrial growth
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