The Cross River State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (CRSMEDA) has stepped up efforts to expand market access, promote policy alignment and drive innovation among Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the state through its participation in the 2026 GROW Nigerian: The National MSME Conference.
The three-day conference, held from November 8 to 10, 2026, at the Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC), Victoria Island, Lagos, provided a national platform for policymakers, development partners, investors and business leaders to explore strategies for strengthening Nigeria’s MSME ecosystem.
The conference was organised by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), in partnership with the German development agency, GIZ, hosted by the Lagos State Government and co-hosted by Ecobank.
Leading the Cross River State delegation was the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of CRSMEDA, Great Ogban, who engaged federal policymakers, development partners and private-sector stakeholders on practical approaches to improving the competitiveness of businesses at the subnational level.
With the theme, “The Next Frontier for Innovation, Policy and Market Access,” the conference brought together thousands of entrepreneurs, investors and government officials to deliberate on five critical areas: Finance and Capital Access, Markets and Export Readiness, Policy and Business Environment, Digital Adoption and Technology, and Workforce Solutions.
Among the prominent personalities at the event were the Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh; Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Charles Odii; Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni; and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, Oluwaseun Faleye.
Others included the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Folashade Bada Ambrose-Medebem, and Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government, Hon. Abdulganiyu Vinod Obasa.
Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, Ogban said Cross River State’s participation reflected the state government’s commitment to positioning local enterprises for greater access to national markets, export opportunities and institutional financing.
He noted that the conference provided an important opportunity for state enterprise development agencies to engage directly with national policymakers and stakeholders shaping the country’s regulatory, financial and trade policies.
“Platforms like GROW Nigerian are vital because they bring subnational enterprise agencies directly into the room where national regulatory, financing and trade policies are shaped,” Ogban stated.
“For Cross River State, our priority is ensuring that the regulatory reliefs, digital tools and market linkages discussed here translate into tangible growth for our local entrepreneurs, agro-processors and creative businesses.”
He explained that the knowledge and opportunities generated at the conference would help strengthen CRSMEDA’s efforts to support local businesses, improve their competitiveness and connect them with relevant institutions and markets.
By Kingsley Agim
