The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria has called for its stakeholders’ collaboration as part of the effort to grow the Nigerian economy.

The call was made on Wednesday during a Stakeholders Engagement Forum and Press Conference for SMEs MINE FEST 2025, held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry building, Alausa, Ikeja.

Representing the Director-General of SMEDAN, Olubunmi Kole-Dauda, in his welcome address, explained that very crucial to the DG was how to grow the economy. “When our current DG assumed office, he was preoccupied with the desire to grow the economy, and a strategy document was issued with the acronym ‘GROW’ (Guidance, Resources, Opportunities and Workforce support). Today we are giving guidance to those helping us to achieve our mandate, and Mine Fest is one organisation helping us. We believe that when we recognise those helping us to achieve our mandate, they will do more,” he said.

Olubunmi urged every stakeholder to identify its area of strength and come engage SMEDAN on how to make impacts on the 40 million Nigerian businesses in the database, according to statistics.

The organiser of the event, Tito Philips, explained that MINE FEST 2025 is meant to be a movement to champion local innovation through the MINE Trade Fair schedule for October 2025, where Nigerian products and services will take centre stage.

He added that the festival will be expected to spark critical dialogue and shared insight through the MINE Conference that will address growth, innovation, and the policies that either accelerate or hinder progress.

Speaking further, he stressed that 40 trailblazing leaders will be honoured with the Under 40 Nigerian CEOs Awards—recognising young entrepreneurs who are not waiting for the future to happen but are building it today—while emphasising the need for deliberate government policies that promote local production.