SMEDAN, EFCC Partner on Youth Empowerment, Cybersecurity

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have agreed to strengthen collaboration on youth empowerment, cybersecurity, capacity development and responsible entrepreneurship.

The agreement followed a courtesy visit by the chief executive of SMEDAN, Mr Charles Odii, to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, in Abuja.

Mr Olukoyede said the commission had followed SMEDAN’s youth-focused interventions with keen interest, describing the programmes as significant efforts to equip young Nigerians with skills and opportunities to improve their livelihoods.

He particularly commended SMEDAN’s growing emphasis on youth development through capacity-building and empowerment programmes, noting that such initiatives could help young Nigerians become productive contributors to the economy and discourage involvement in activities that could negatively affect the country’s economy and image.

The two agencies agreed to strengthen knowledge sharing and develop joint capacity-building initiatives as part of the proposed collaboration.

A key area of the partnership is the proposed integration of relevant components of the ICSS curriculum into the EFCC’s cybersecurity training programmes.

They also agreed to explore the participation of EFCC officials in relevant SMEDAN training programmes, particularly those aimed at improving awareness of cybersecurity, financial responsibility and ethical business practices among entrepreneurs and young people.

The partnership is expected to strengthen the link between enterprise development and financial crime prevention by equipping young entrepreneurs with the knowledge required to establish and grow businesses while complying with the law and protecting their enterprises in an increasingly digital economy.

Speaking during the engagement, Mr Odii stressed the importance of inter-agency partnerships in advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, particularly in addressing the needs of Nigeria’s growing youth population.

He said youth empowerment required a holistic approach combining skills development, access to opportunities, mentorship, digital knowledge, financial literacy and responsible enterprise practices.