The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the International Trade Facilitators Association (ITFA), announced during a workshop in Kano recently that 470 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across Nigeria will benefit from the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program (GEF-SGP). The announcement came as part of the Northwest Geo-Political Zone workshop, one component of a 36-state rollout designed to change how Nigerian small businesses operate and scale.
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The initiative, branded as the Support to Potential and Existing Nature-Positive MSMEs (SPENM) programme, specifically targets entrepreneurs and innovators committed to creating positive environmental and social impact while building financially viable businesses.
Trade Ambassador of ITFA, Collins Ezeiruaku, explained that the programme addresses a critical gap in Nigeria’s development ecosystem where many non-governmental organisations and small businesses struggle to maintain operations once initial grant funding expires.
“Many NGOs are doing incredible work in their communities, but once grant funding stops, operations often fold,” Ezeiruaku said during the Kano workshop. “This programme provides the tools to sustain impact and grow businesses beyond one generation.”
The SPENM model operates on three core pillars – People, Planet, and Profit – with specific focus areas including profitability training to help MSMEs generate sustainable income, market access connections linking enterprises to both local and international markets, and certification assistance to help businesses secure international standards for global competitiveness.
A significant challenge the programme aims to address is the lack of proper certifications among Nigerian small businesses, which Ezeiruaku identified as a major barrier to accessing international markets. He noted that standardisation and ethical compliance have become essential for capturing global opportunities in an increasingly digital trade environment.
The programme operates in collaboration with the federal and state governments under Nigeria’s “One State, One Product” initiative, with state committees on export promotion responsible for nominating participants. The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), is providing full support for the initiative.
“We have written to all state governors to nominate participants for this programme,” Ezeiruaku noted. “Our goal is to ensure each participant leaves with a tested and practical business model, supported by mentorship and market linkages.”
Programme Support to the National Coordinator of UNDP GEF-SGP, Rose Agbo, said that the initiative extends beyond simple compliance requirements to empower MSMEs for both environmental and economic resilience.
“This is about leveraging ethical practices to access new markets, build consumer trust, and gain a competitive edge, all while making a tangible environmental impact,” Agbo explained.
The comprehensive programme includes workshops across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones, designed to equip participants with practical strategies for transforming grants into sustainable social enterprises, integrating ethical and fair-trade practices, accessing markets through the ITFA directory, and gaining international business visibility.
Participants will receive ongoing mentorship, customised business models, and detailed implementation plans designed to ensure their enterprises continue operating and growing long after initial funding concludes.
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