AMSCO and NPC Partner to Boost Enterprise Development in Nigeria
The African Management Services Company (AMSCO) organised a one day conference in collaboration with the National Planning Commission (NPC) of Nigeria, to sensitise the Nigerian private sector about developing management capacity and expertise. The conference themed Accelerating Enterprise Growth and Competitiveness in Nigeria - Building Capacity for Sustainable Development, took place on 22 September, 2015, at the Sheraton Hotel Ikeja, Lagos.
Nigerian businesses, particularly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) require the capacity to engage at global levels. Often, challenges such as access to finance, shortage of skills, market access and a general enabling environment hinder their development and global attractiveness. The conference was therefore aimed at generating home-grown solutions to address the challenges and open up opportunities for dialogue and collaboration with key players.
Speaking at the conference, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Mr. Godwin Emefiele underscored the crucial role that Nigerian enterprises play in the growth and sustenance of the Nigerian economy. He called on various stakeholders to take an active role in capacitating the private sector. “Promoting increased foreign direct investment and other capital inflows through policies that will attract foreign investors and strengthen Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) to promote affordable and long-term finance is required.”
The Executive Secretary of the NPC Mr. Bassey Akpanyung emphasised that Nigeria is not unmindful of challenges in the Nigerian business environment. He said the rate of economic growth and development of any nation is functionally related to its infrastructure. “This informed the decision of Government to bring on board the 30 year National Master Plan in collaboration with the private sector aimed at addressing these gaps” he said.
CEO & Managing Director for AMSCO, Mr. Paul Malherbe stated three key issues that require special attention for Nigeria to reach its private sector development agenda, they include; a change of focus from youth education to youth entrepreneurship, increased interventions that promote gender empowerment and directly developing SMEs with limited skills.
“Most African SMEs are faced with growth challenges because there is a dependency on large companies or corporates to educate them. Our business landscape can only improve if we don’t wait but rather place our lens on collaborations to develop human capital at SME level, matching the right skills to the right jobs, training the management of those businesses and helping them access financial capital to reinvent themselves, this is our core focus at AMSCO” said Malherbe.
Participants at the conference agreed that building capacity for the private sector remains an indispensable step for Nigerian enterprises to be globally competitive and sustainable.
Leaders of private and public businesses, senior government officials, DFIs and donors attended the event.
Further insights and recommendations were shared through two panel discussions, interrogating issues of access to finance and building capacity for sustainable growth.
<END>
About the NPC
The National Planning Commission of Nigeria is an institution in the Nigerian Government with the core responsibility of formulating medium and long term economic and development plans for the nation.
About AMSCO
African Management Services Company (AMSCO) is a private sector development organisation that provides integrated human capital development solutions to private and public businesses across sub-Saharan Africa. AMSCO has over 26 years evolved to become the leading advisory solutions provider; working to address the issue of market systems and capacity failures through management and skills development. AMSCO implements the African Training and Management Services (ATMS) Project of the United Nations Development Programme.
For more information please contact:
Ejura Audu
epaudu@yahoo.com
Tel: 234 (1) 08034946244
OR
Mpho Kgosidintsi
AMSCO Marketing and Communications Manager
mpho.kgosidintsi@amscobv.com
Tel: +27 79 871 3696
|
