Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, has been honoured by the Presidency with the prestigious Most MSME-Friendly Governor Award in recognition of his administration’s outstanding commitment to promoting the growth and sustainability of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The award was presented at the 8th National MSME Awards, organised by the Office of the Vice President, where Governor Otu was recognised for implementing policies and initiatives that have revitalised the MSME ecosystem and accelerated the growth of small businesses across Cross River State.
The ceremony, which coincided with the global observance of World MSME Day, also featured the unveiling of a compendium titled Building Nigeria, Empowering MSMEs, highlighting the Federal Government’s achievements in advancing enterprise development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The event attracted senior government officials, private sector leaders and key stakeholders in Nigeria’s enterprise ecosystem, including the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia; the Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs, Temitola Adekunle-Johnson; and the Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Charles Odii.
Also in attendance were the Managing Director of the National Credit Guarantee Company, Bonaventure Okhaimo; the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi; and the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Taiwo Dada, among other dignitaries.
The Cross River delegation was led by the Commissioner for Commerce, Hon. Abigail Orok-Duke, alongside the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Cross River State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (CRSMEDA), Great Ogban, and the Chairman of the Agency’s Governing Board, Mr. Essessien Edem.
In a remarkable double achievement, Cross River State also received the Award of Excellence for MSME Clinics Participant (Female Category) after emerging victorious in a highly competitive contest that celebrated exceptional performance across several enterprise development indicators, including tax compliance.
The twin honours underscore the growing national recognition of the Otu administration’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurship, expanding access to finance, strengthening enterprise support systems and positioning MSMEs as key drivers of inclusive economic growth.
Since assuming office, Governor Otu has prioritised policies aimed at stimulating small business development through strategic interventions, institutional support and investment-friendly reforms designed to enhance productivity, create jobs and diversify the state’s economy.
By Kingsley Agim
