Beneficiaries of the Enterprise Development Centre’s AGRIC-SMEs Bootcamp and Pitch Competition, Dorcas Damilola Awojobi, Judith Bassey, Dele Junaid, Oluwaseun Adeyemi, Sarah Afolabi Olagoke and Ridwan Mudashiru at the EDC head office in Ajah, Lagos, recently. Agribusiness small and medium-sized enterprises in Nigeria are intensifying efforts to secure improved access to capital as development institutions roll out targeted interventions to address persistent financing and capacity gaps in the sector.
A new capacity-building initiative led by the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University has brought together the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, and Kaduna Business School to strengthen the financial and managerial capabilities of agricultural SMEs.
The programme was delivered through a three-day bootcamp and pitch competition in Lagos, where agribusiness entrepreneurs underwent intensive training designed to improve investment readiness, operational efficiency and access to finance. Participants were also exposed to technical and managerial development sessions covering business strategy, financial management, bookkeeping and investment planning, aimed at preparing them for scaling and attracting external funding.
At the end of the programme, eight agribusiness SMEs were awarded grants of N1m each to support business expansion. The beneficiaries will also receive three months of post-programme advisory support from business development consultants engaged under the initiative.
The Lead for Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Enterprise Development Centre, Dr Stanley Ibeku, said the initiative was designed to address both financing constraints and skills deficiencies that continue to limit growth in Nigeria’s agribusiness sector.
He noted that the programme focused on building technical and managerial competencies required for SMEs to access funding and scale sustainably, noting that many agricultural businesses remain unable to attract investment due to gaps in structure and financial discipline.
Related News 2027 election: EU seeks increased women participation Benin, Togo, Niger owe Nigeria $9.55m electricity debt Together we can eradicate this stowaway menace The Head of Alumni Relations and Support Services at the Enterprise Development Centre, Dr Nnenna Ugwu, said participants were selected based on the strength of their business ideas and their ability to demonstrate growth potential.
She said the bootcamp was designed to identify promising agribusiness entrepreneurs and provide them with structured support to refine their operations and improve their chances of securing financing. One beneficiary, Chief Executive of Dainty Foods, Ms Damilola Awojobi, said the programme helped reshape her approach to business management.
She described the experience as “eye-opening”, adding that it improved her understanding of record-keeping, cash flow management and investment planning. Another participant, Dale Junaid, said the training strengthened his understanding of access to finance and improved his ability to prepare investment pitches.
Participants were also exposed to technical and managerial development sessions covering business strategy, financial management, bookkeeping and investment planning, aimed at preparing them for scaling and attracting external funding. At the end of the programme, eight agribusiness SMEs were awarded grants of N1m each to support business expansion.