President Bola Tinubu has welcomed the $12m Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship, saying the facility will strengthen Nigeria’s MSME sector and support job creation.
Funded by the Republic of Korea through the Korea International Cooperation Agency, KOICA, the centre is being developed by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP.
Construction began on September 17, 2026, at SMEDAN’s Industrial Development Centre in Idu, Abuja, following a groundbreaking ceremony attended by government officials and development partners.
The centre will provide workspaces, digital facilities, training, incubation and enterprise support for entrepreneurs, start-ups and growing businesses.
It is expected to initially support 500 entrepreneurs, 400 start-ups and 1,500 MSMEs, with its reach extending to Abuja and cities including Kaduna, Jos, Keffi, Lafia, Minna, Makurdi and Lokoja.
The $12m investment comprises $5.9m for construction and $6.1m for equipment and programmes.
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In a statement issued on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the centre would improve access to infrastructure, technology and training needed to establish and expand businesses.
He said the Federal Government would continue to create conditions for small enterprises to grow, become more productive and generate employment.
The facility will also feature accessible infrastructure for persons with disabilities and a crèche for women with young children.
SMEDAN, KOICA and UNDP are expected to collaborate with universities, incubators, financial institutions and private-sector organisations to connect businesses with relevant support.
The project builds on existing enterprise initiatives at the Idu industrial centre. In February 2025, SMEDAN and UNDP launched a solar-powered Garment and Fashion Hub and Makerspace there to support MSMEs with production facilities and more reliable electricity.
At the September 17 groundbreaking, officials said the new centre would connect entrepreneurs to skills, finance, technology and markets. Minister of State for Industry, John Enoh, said it was expected to become fully operational by December 2027.
Tinubu thanked the South Korean government for the investment and commended KOICA, UNDP and SMEDAN for advancing the project.