ABIA – Governor Alex Otti has flagged off the Abia Government-Ethnocentrique Limited Micro, Small and Medium-Scale Enterprise (MSME) Competitiveness and Productivity Programme on the theme: “Enhancing MSME Competitiveness and Industrial Productivity for Sustainable Economic Growth in Abia”.
Speaking while performing the exercise at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia, Governor Otti urged manufacturers and consumers to end the practice of branding locally made goods with foreign brand names, regretting that the trend suppresses genuine local innovation.
The Governor commended Ethnocentrique Limited for starting the initiative with the MasterCard Foundation before government’s involvement and congratulated the 1,000 MSMEs participating in the first phase of the programme, announcing plans to scale up the figure to 10,000.
The Governor stated that proper branding and product differentiation are essential for protecting intellectual property and building confidence in local goods, adding that efforts have been made to promote Abia’s “Akwaete Cloth” fashion line at the UN General Assembly.
The State Chief Executive reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting MSMEs with funding, skills training and structured systems, recalling that the state Government provided 1- billion naira to nano businesses last year and had made further budgetary allocations for MSMEs this year.
In her address, the Chief Executive of Ethnocentrique Ltd, Mrs Irunna Ejibe, said the initiative marks a paradigm shift from interventions to a structured industrial ecosystem built on standards, certification and enterprise systems, noting that recent programmes implemented in the state have generated a 4.4 billion naira ecosystem value, created 2,000 jobs, formalised over 500 MSMEs, and enabled young entrepreneurs to access finance and new markets.
She stated that phase one of the new programme includes the certification of 1,000 artisans, development of certified assessors, registration of 2,000 businesses, and trademarking of 100 indigenous brands, noting that the initiative will position Abia to compete in global value chains by aligning local production with internationally recognised standards and certifications.
In his speech, the Commissioner for Industry and SME, Mazi Mike Akpara, said that the programme targets the registration of 4,000 MSMEs through the Corporate Affairs Commission and sectoral regulators to improve access to procurement and national market standards, noting that the state would also train 100 Business Development Service Providers and produce 1,000 National Skills Qualifications Framework and certified artisans in garments, footwear, leatherwork and related industries.
Also, the President of the Leather Products Manufacturers Association of Abia State, Mr Confidence Nwobilor, said they have achieved 20 percent success on the campaign against foreign-branded “Made-in-Abia” products,
adding that promoting indigenous brands would boost consumer confidence, encourage patronage, and reinforce the identity of locally made products.
The Registrar of Trademarks, Commercial Law Department, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Shafiu Yauri, the Secretary to Abia State Government, Prof. Kenneth Kalu, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, members of the state executive council, Rector, Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic Aba, De Christopher Okoro Kalu, among other stakeholders were part of the ceremony.
