Shettima commissions FGs ultra-modern ICT hub, two state aircraft in Cross River

Vice President Kashim Shettima has commissioned the Federal Government’s ultra-modern Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Hub for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Calabar with the newly refurbished State Library Complex that houses the facility.

The ICT hub, he said, was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s pledge to support ventures that “dare to redefine the future of work, skills and industries in Nigeria.”

Shettima also inaugurated two newly acquired 100-seater Bombardier CRJ1000 jets for Cally Air, the state-owned airline, and launched the 8th Expanded National MSME Clinics in Cross River State, where outstanding small business owners received ₦250,000 each in unconditional grants.

According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said “this is not a loan. It is a gift to accelerate your journey,” 

He noted that the initiative brings government agencies such as the Corporate Affairs Commission, NAFDAC, Bank of Industry, and SMEDAN directly to the doorstep of entrepreneurs to resolve challenges on the spot.

He highlighted other interventions under the Tinubu administration, including the ₦75 billion MSME Intervention Fund managed by the Bank of Industry, the ₦50 billion Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme for one million nano businesses, and the ₦75 billion Manufacturers Fund offering up to ₦1 billion at 9 percent interest.

“At the core of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is a commitment to create an environment where MSMEs not only survive but thrive. We are here to build an ecosystem that eases the struggles of our entrepreneurs, fuels creativity, and unleashes the innovative spirit of our people,” Shettima said.

Shettima stressed that no nation can prosper beyond the potential of its small businesses, adding that the commissioning of the ICT hub “is our investment in tomorrow” in a digital era where technology is “a lifeline, not a luxury.”

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Cross River Governor, Bassey Otu, commended the Federal Government’s reforms and pledged the state’s continued support, saying the administration was “building a formidable economy that will stand the test of time.”

Minister of Information, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, reaffirmed the President’s unwavering support for small businesses, while Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs, Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, described the clinics as a unique initiative transforming entrepreneurs’ ideas into viable enterprises.

Director General of the Cross River Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency, Great Ogban Usetu, lauded the event as a platform for networking and resource-sharing to grow livelihoods in the state.

Dignitaries present included Senator Eteng Williams, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, Deputy Governor Peter Odey, Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly Elvert Ayambem, and members of the State Executive Council.