Abuja, July 9, 2025 — The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs & Poverty Reduction convened with the National Association of Small & Medium Enterprises (NASME) in Abuja today to formalize collaboration aimed at boosting economic resilience and aiding vulnerable populations through targeted SME interventions.
During the meeting, key representatives from both agencies explored opportunities to:
Integrate vulnerable persons into structured economic empowerment programmes;
Expand access to finance and training for small and medium enterprises in underserved communities;
Leverage NASME’s national network to identify and support youth- and women-led businesses in high-poverty areas;
Bolster coordination mechanisms to ensure efficient delivery of social protection services via SMEs.
Speaking at the event, the Ministry’s leadership emphasized the importance of public–private synergy in promoting sustainable livelihoods. NASME officials committed to collaborating with the Ministry to identify beneficiaries, facilitate capacity-building workshops, and drive community-level enterprise development.
The partnership aligns with the ongoing #PovertyReduction campaign, and marks a renewed focus on empowering marginalized groups through the vehicle of SMEs. According to both institutions, follow-up activities—including joint pilot programmes—are expected to commence in select states later this year.
This collaborative commitment reflects increased policy momentum towards combining humanitarian goals with economic empowerment, aiming to strengthen Nigeria’s safety net architecture and foster inclusive growth.