SMEDAN’s Charles Odii Urges Entrepreneurs To Adopt ICSS4ALL Programme To Unlock Financing, Training, And MSME Growth

SMEDAN’s Charles Odii urges entrepreneurs to adopt ICSS4ALL programme to unlock financing, training, and MSME growth

The Director-General of SMEDAN, Charles Odii, has called on Nigerian entrepreneurs to fully embrace the ICSS4ALL programme, describing it as a critical platform that expands access to financing, structured training, and institutional support aimed at accelerating MSME growth nationwide. The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) says the ICSS4ALL initiative remains a central tool for strengthening Nigeria’s entrepreneurship ecosystem by improving business capacity and unlocking funding opportunities for small and medium enterprises. Speaking at the ICSS4ALL 2026 National MSME Summit in Abuja, SMEDAN DG Charles Odii said the programme—short for Inspire, Create, Start and Scale (ICSS)is designed to provide entrepreneurs with structured pathways to build sustainable and finance-ready businesses.

Odii explained that many MSMEs struggle to access credit due to weak documentation, lack of structure, and limited financial literacy, but the ICSS framework directly addresses these gaps by training and certifying participants. He noted that entrepreneurs who pass through the programme are better positioned to attract financing because they are equipped with business plans, cashflow management skills, and operational systems that reduce lending risks.

• Over 14,000 entrepreneurs already trained under ICSS framework
• Expanded training coverage across multiple MSME sectors
• Certification system to improve access to loans and grants
• Integration of business advisory and capacity-building support
• Strong linkage between training outcomes and financing opportunities

Odii highlighted that the ICSS model is increasingly tied to funding mechanisms such as the ICSS GROW Fund, which provides a dedicated financing window for certified entrepreneurs.

He urged financial institutions and government agencies to prioritise ICSS-certified MSMEs, stressing that structured training significantly reduces credit risk and improves business survival rates.

SMEDAN says the broader goal is to transform Nigeria’s estimated 40 million MSMEs into structured, scalable enterprises capable of driving GDP growth and job creation. The agency also continues to expand partnerships with development organisations and financial institutions to improve access to markets, funding, and technical support for entrepreneurs. With growing adoption of the ICSS4ALL programme, SMEDAN expects stronger MSME performance, improved credit access, and increased enterprise survival rates. Analysts say sustained implementation could significantly reduce Nigeria’s informal business gap and boost long-term economic resilience.