By Our Reporter
Operators in the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises sector have urged the Federal Government to work with the private sector, especially business membership organisations to undertake a meaningful census of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
Speaking on the planned census, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole and the Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh, described it as a critical step toward establishing a precise, data-driven roadmap for empowering MSMEs.
Organised private sector groups who spoke on the planned MSMEs census at the weekend, welcomed the idea, arguing that effective policy formation and intervention depend on current and reliable data.
The stakeholders include the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON), and the National Association of Small-Scale Industrialists (NASCI).
In his own submission, LCCI President, Gabriel Idahosa, compared the planned MSMEs census to a periodic data update seen in the rebasing of economic data to have a more accurate coverage of small businesses in the country.
The LCCI boss expressed confidence in the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to lay the framework for more accurate data collection.
“The NBS has its system for gathering that data”.
Similarly, the President of ASBON, Dr. Femi Egbesola, described the proposed census as a welcome development, stressing that the last MSME data collected over a decade ago is outdated.
“It’s important for the government to have data on every stratum of the economy, particularly the MSMEs, which are described as the engine of growth.
“We have been brandishing the report that we have 40 million MSMEs in Nigeria for over 10 years, but many things have happened that may have either reduced or increased that number”, Egbesola said.
Egbesola emphasised the need for the government to work closely with the private sector in the census process. He observed that past approaches that excluded private-sector collaboration yielded little success.
“If they continue to go about it the way they have been doing, we may not get anything different. The best way is for the government to collaborate strategically with the private sector.
“We should co-create, co-own, co-implement, and co-monitor the census process, rather than the government designing it alone and inviting the private sector at the point of implementation”, he said.
The ASBON president further highlighted the importance of including nano businesses, which constitute 87 per cent of MSMEs, most of which are informal, unstructured, and operated by illiterate individuals.
He explained that engaging business membership organisations that house these nano enterprises would ensure their inclusion in the census.
“We want a transparent process. Not just (to say) that we have X number of MSMEs after the census, but to be able to have things that will be verifiable. That will be important for us.
“If we get this done, I am sure that the landscape of the MSME ecosystem will change because a lot of new revelations will come up from the census.
“A lot of new policies will arise because of the census, and I am sure that eventually, it will translate to the growth of the MSME ecosystem”, Egbesola said, while calling for a transparent process for the census.
He further highlighted the risks of relying on outdated or insufficient MSME data, stating that inaccurate figures could lead to ineffective policy interventions.
“If data shows that only four per cent of MSMEs have access to finance, then there should be a state of emergency on access to finance.
“Likewise, if only 13 per cent are involved in exports, targeted interventions should be designed to strengthen the naira and fight inflation”, he noted.
The National Vice President of NASSI, Segun Kuti-George, also backed the census, describing it as a step in the right direction.
He supported calls for collaboration with OPS groups, noting that accurate data would help with planning and implementing policies to enhance business growth.
Kuti-George pointed out that until the moment there is conflicting data on MSMEs, remarking,
“There are existing differing figures from different sources—the Central Bank of Nigeria, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, etc.—and we must have an updated one.
“They can begin with existing data from various available sources, including the database of the Corporate Affairs Commission”.
The NASSI national vice president, however, cautioned against data inflation by regions that might seek undue benefits, urging the government to ensure the credibility of the process.
“They have to be careful so that figures are not inflated from parts of the country that might think it will be of benefit to them if they do so,” he added.
Also speaking, the Director-General of NECA, Adewale Oyerinde, emphasised the need to establish trust in the census process, which he supported as important for reliable data for national planning.
“For any meaningful roadmap or plan, you need data. The private sector will be glad to support the government in whatever way necessary”, Oyerinde noted.
The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, it would be recalled, recently announced its readiness to conduct a nationwide census of MSMEs in 2025 as part of its economic growth and industrial transformation strategy.