The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have agreed to strengthen collaboration aimed at equipping young Nigerians with cybersecurity, business and entrepreneurship skills.
The partnership will focus on youth empowerment, cybersecurity awareness, capacity development, financial responsibility and responsible entrepreneurship.
The agreement emerged during a courtesy visit by the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Charles Odii, to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, in Abuja.
Olukoyede said the Commission had followed SMEDAN’s youth-focused interventions, describing the programmes as important efforts towards providing young Nigerians with skills and opportunities to become productive participants in the economy.
He said empowering youths with relevant knowledge and opportunities could help discourage them from engaging in activities that negatively affect the country’s economy and image.
During the meeting, both institutions agreed to strengthen collaboration through knowledge sharing and joint capacity-building programmes.
A key area of the proposed partnership is the integration of relevant components of the ICSS curriculum into EFCC’s cybersecurity training programmes.
The two agencies also agreed to explore the participation of EFCC in relevant SMEDAN training programmes, particularly those designed to improve cybersecurity awareness, financial responsibility and ethical business practices among entrepreneurs and young people.
The collaboration is expected to strengthen the link between enterprise development and financial crime prevention by equipping young entrepreneurs with knowledge on how to establish and grow businesses while operating within the law.
It will also focus on helping businesses protect themselves against cyber threats as more enterprises adopt digital platforms and services.
Speaking during the engagement, Odii stressed the importance of inter-agency partnerships in advancing the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in addressing the needs of Nigeria’s growing youth population.
He said youth empowerment required a holistic approach combining skills acquisition, access to opportunities, mentorship, digital knowledge, financial literacy and responsible enterprise practices.
Odii said stronger cooperation between government institutions would help create an environment where young Nigerians could build sustainable businesses while contributing positively to the economy.