The government through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment recently decided to issue licenses to business development Support Providers (BDSPs). This is for the government to be able to check the activities of BDSPs as they play a vital role in the development of the economy of any nation.

BDSPs offer financial and other services to existing or aspiring business people. Their target is mostly the small and medium entrepreneurs/enterprises (SMEs).

They provide support to the SMEs in various ways like, training, access to loans/grants, etc.

In a bid to sanitize the activities of the BDSPs, the government had the first set of select BDSPs licensed in Abuja recently.

Dr. Kabir Dasuki was one of the licensed BDSPs at the event. Dr. Dasuki who is the Deputy President North, Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), explained the importance of licensing the BDSPs. He said that the BDSPs are nearer to the SMEs and are in a better stead to know their problems and offer assistance too.

He believes that the various services rendered by BDSPs will encourage many people to go into business. He posited that when many people go into business after getting the right training, it will definitely increase the GDP of the nation. “When people are sensitized to know about business, it will encourage many people to go into business. And this will definitely increase the GDP of the nation”, he concluded.