Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday inaugurated the Federal Government’s state-of-the-art ICT Hub for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Calabar, alongside the refurbished Cross River State Library Complex which houses the facility.
He said the project aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to supporting ventures that redefine the future of work, skills, and industry in Nigeria.
The Vice President also commissioned two newly acquired 100-seat Bombardier CRJ1000 regional jets for Cally Air, the state-owned airline, and flagged off the 8th Expanded National MSME Clinics — an initiative designed to bring Federal Government assistance directly to businesses.
Announcing ₦250,000 unconditional grants for outstanding entrepreneurs in Cross River, Shettima said the clinics offer a one-stop platform where MSMEs can access services from agencies like CAC, NAFDAC, the Bank of Industry, and SMEDAN.
He highlighted other key interventions under the Tinubu administration: a ₦75 billion MSME Intervention Fund, a ₦50 billion Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme for one million nano businesses, and a ₦75 billion Manufacturers Fund offering up to ₦1 billion in loans at 9% interest. One Cross River manufacturer has already benefited from the scheme, he noted.
On the ICT hub, Shettima said: “Technology is no longer a luxury but a lifeline. This investment could not have come at a better time.” He commended Governor Bassey Otu for his infrastructural drive and lauded the new Cally Air aircraft as boosting tourism and investment in the state.
Governor Otu pledged full support for the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, while Minister of Information Mohammed Idris reaffirmed the President’s commitment to small businesses.
The event was attended by senators, state lawmakers, top government officials, and business leaders.
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