Growing Access to finance across West Africa 

CSED's financial inclusion platform launched in Ghana and Nigeria, supporting NSMEs with record-keeping and access to financial institution funding. Delivered through a partnership with the Sekondi Takoradi Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Our research in inclusive finance indicates that a significant portion of SMEs lack formal business records. Among those that maintain records, paper-based documentation remains prevalent, limiting its usability by financial institutions. Many SMEs refrain from pursuing institutional financing, anticipating a cumbersome process or ineligibility. Consequently, they rely on personal funds, family support, or asset sales to finance their operations.

See MSMEs and Record Keeping

See Capsule 

Understanding the Remit of Public Sector Support to MSMEs

Evaluating regulatory administration (among other core elements of regulation) and other types of interventions and support of the government in the free-market economy can provide important feedback to officials how well regulations or regulatory policies are executed, benchmarking it against administrative goals, as well as development or outcomes. 

CSED’S MSME Friendly States Index (MFSI) studies and reports on the extent of government support to MSMES across Nigeria in terms of policy support, funding (credit, equity, etc) and programmes developed to support the operations of MSMEs across Nigeria. 

Pilot report on the MFSI 2022: “Coming Soon”

Enterprise Ecosystem Development and Advocacy

This project strengthens voice and accountability in Nigeria’s public expenditure management (PEM) and private sector development space by empowering Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) to hold government accountable in government’s commitment to policies and programs that support MSMEs growth and development.

See Voices4MSMEs Project

Growing Capacity for Inclusion in the Digital Economy 

CSED as a Professional has developed activities majorly inspired by industry-wide research on the business and human capacity needs of Micro, Small, Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. 

CSED is working with several entities in the private and public sector to bring a variety of digital stills to MSMEs and individuals across Nigeria.

The Funding Forum (TFF) – A multi-stakeholder forum to close the MSMEs’ Funding Gap in Nigeria   

CSED collaborates with Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment, others to bridge MSMEs funding gap in Nigeria. The Funding Forum (TFF) is a multi-stakeholder initiative to promote public-private and international development collaboration and dialogue in support of inclusive finance for MSMEs.

The Funding Forum 

Benue Economic Development Agenda (BEDA) – re-establishing the place of Benue as Food Basket of the Nigeria 

In the phase one of BEDA, CSED partnered with JZTP Foundation to conduct need assessment in 276 council wards of the 23 sub-state government Areas in 2021 engaging 300 community workers and generating an insightful report. In phase two of BEDA, we will be implementing Benue State Agricultural Value Chain Development and Promotion program which is a fallout from phase one in 2024.