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The Job Creation and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Secretariat has teamed up with renowned musician and entrepreneur Innocent Idibia, known as Tuface. The MSMEs is operating under Nigeria’s Office of the Vice President. The partnership will rally national support for Nigeria’s MSMEs sector. This new collaboration seeks to expand opportunities for millions of Nigerian youth, particularly in the creative economy. That sector is already a major source of employment and revenue.
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Nigeria’s creative economy currently employs over 4 million young people and has the potential to grow substantially. It is expected to create additional 2.7 million jobs by 2025. According to Statista, the sector contributed an impressive NGN 154 billion ($197.6 million USD) to Nigeria’s GDP in 2023. But this impressive figure remains modest compared to the sector’s potential in other African countries. With Tuface as an ambassador, the government aims to attract more private sector support to amplify the impact of MSMEs across the country.
The partnership was formalized in Abuja. Tuface signed the agreement with Tola Adekunle-Johnson, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs. Adekunle-Johnson highlighted Tuface’s role in promoting key MSME initiatives. They include the National MSMEs Awards, Expanded National MSMEs Clinics, and Shared Hubs for MSMEs. “We looked to the entertainment industry, an area deeply resonant with our target audience, to help sustain job creation momentum and amplify MSME activities, single-digit loans, and support hubs,” Adekunle-Johnson explained.
Tuface expressed his appreciation for the government’s trust in his role, promising to raise awareness for MSMEs, especially among Nigeria’s youth. “I’m excited about this partnership. It’s a move in the right direction,” he said.
Supporting this collaboration, Chukwuemeka Nwakile, Acting Group Regional Manager at Access Bank Plc., reiterated the bank’s commitment to empowering youth in job creation. “For Access Bank, this is familiar terrain. We’re dedicated to ensuring that the government’s job creation initiatives go beyond words to impactful action.”
