The Director General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mr. Charles Odii, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to partnering with the Asaba community to promote job creation and youth empowerment.
Mr. Odii made this known while welcoming the Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SAN, OON, alongside members of his palace chiefs, during a courtesy visit to SMEDAN. The visit included a guided tour of the Small and Medium Enterprises complex.
In his remarks, the SMEDAN Director General expressed pleasure at hosting the respected monarch, describing the engagement as an important step toward expanding SMEDAN’s reach to Delta State. He noted that the agency is well positioned to support small business owners in Asaba through access to loans, grants, and mentorship programmes designed to strengthen businesses and create more employment opportunities.
Mr. Odii also stressed the need for business formalization, explaining that registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) is essential for small enterprises to benefit from SMEDAN’s funding and support initiatives.
Earlier during the facility tour, the Asagba of Asaba expressed confidence that several of SMEDAN’s programmes could be replicated within his kingdom to stimulate economic growth and job creation. He praised Mr. Odii’s leadership and the progress achieved under his tenure, reiterating his strong commitment to employment generation, particularly for young people, who make up nearly 70 percent of Asaba’s population. The monarch further assured SMEDAN of the community’s full support for the initiative, including the possible provision of land to accelerate proposed programmes.
The visit concluded with an exchange of gifts between His Royal Majesty, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SAN, OON, and Mr. Charles Odii, symbolizing a shared resolve to build a productive partnership focused on youth empowerment and sustainable economic development in Asaba.
