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The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) has intensified efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) ecosystem, graduating 37 entrepreneurs from its Innovation Hub Acceleration Programme in Kaduna as part of a broader push to improve access to markets and financing.
The initiative is aimed at addressing longstanding barriers that limit MSME growth in Nigeria, particularly weak financial structures, poor investment readiness, and limited access to formal credit channels.
The Kaduna graduation marks a significant milestone in DBN’s strategy to build a stronger pipeline of bankable small businesses capable of attracting funding and scaling sustainably.
DBN targets investment readiness for small businesses
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, DBN’s Capacity Building Manager, Fortune Tamunokuro Granville, said the programme was designed to tackle one of the most pressing constraints facing Nigerian entrepreneurs: inadequate preparedness for financing and expansion.
According to her, the acceleration programme extends beyond conventional business training by equipping entrepreneurs with practical tools needed to become investment-ready.
“The programme goes beyond training. It prepares entrepreneurs to become investment-ready by strengthening their structures, improving financial literacy and aligning their operations with market realities,” she said.
Granville noted that DBN’s role in the MSME ecosystem is primarily catalytic rather than direct lending. She explained that the bank supports enterprise financing indirectly by partnering with financial institutions and reducing lending risks, thereby making it easier for MSMEs to access credit.
Kaduna hub emerges as pilot model for national expansion
Programme Lead, Rudolf Uji, described the Kaduna Innovation Hub as a pilot framework for a wider national rollout designed to close enterprise gaps across financing, capacity building and digital transformation.
Launched in December 2025, the Kaduna hub admitted 40 entrepreneurs into its pioneer cohort in February 2026, with 37 successfully completing the programme.
Uji said participants underwent intensive business acceleration support focused on refining operational models, improving governance systems, and enhancing their attractiveness to lenders and investors.
The initiative reflects DBN’s increasing emphasis on preparing MSMEs not just for survival, but for long-term competitiveness in formal markets.
Investors urged to engage trained entrepreneurs
Kaduna State Office Manager, Badamasi Barau, called on investors, development institutions and private sector stakeholders to take advantage of the emerging pool of trained entrepreneurs for partnerships and expansion opportunities.
He said the newly graduated businesses represent a growing class of structured enterprises with stronger capacity to absorb capital and generate employment.
Barau also disclosed that the programme received support from the Arab Gulf Fund (AGFund) alongside other ecosystem partners, a collaboration he said helped expand the reach and impact of the initiative.
DBN plans sector-focused hubs across Nigeria
Also speaking at the event, Sales Manager at Nigeria Glo Limited, Oshoke Ayodele, said the onboarding of a second cohort signals rising demand for structured entrepreneurial support.
He added that DBN is already planning expansion into sector-specific innovation hubs in key commercial clusters nationwide.
These include manufacturing hubs in Aba, agribusiness-focused centres in Bauchi, and creative industry hubs in Abuja, to be developed in partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
The expansion underscores DBN’s broader ambition to build a decentralised enterprise support network that links Nigerian MSMEs to capital, markets and sector-specific growth opportunities.
Why this matters for Nigeria’s MSME economy
MSMEs remain central to Nigeria’s economic structure, accounting for the majority of businesses and a substantial share of employment. However, limited access to finance continues to constrain their growth potential.
By focusing on capacity development and investment readiness, DBN is positioning itself as a key enabler in reducing the financing gap that has historically weakened small business expansion.
The Kaduna graduation, though modest in scale, signals a broader institutional shift toward building stronger, finance-ready enterprises capable of contributing more meaningfully to Nigeria’s job creation and economic diversification agenda.
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