August 16, 2025 – The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has announced that shops have been allocated to small business owners at the new Karmo District Market in Abuja.

This announcement was made by Charles Odii, Director-General and CEO of SMEDAN.

According to Odii, the initiative is aimed at boosting entrepreneurship and supporting local traders. “We’ve allocated shops to small business owners at the modern, well-equipped New Karmo Market, rent-free for 6 months and discounted after, thanks to our partnership with Rural Homes Limited,” he said.

The newly developed Karmo District Market features 2,500 shops of different sizes spread across a 10-hectare site.

The market is organized into distinct sections to cater to various commercial activities, making it easier for traders, artisans, and farmers to operate in a structured environment.

It will be recalled that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, represented by the Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, officially opened the New Karmo Market in February 2025.

At the event, Wike explained that the market was strategically designed to provide a modern business hub for traders, entrepreneurs, and investors.

The Federal Government emphasized that the vision for the Karmo District Market is to create opportunities for small businesses, encourage sustainable commerce, and ensure residents have access to fresh, high-quality, locally sourced products.

How to apply:

Interested business owners can apply for shop allocations by registering at portal.smedan.gov.ng. Women traders are strongly encouraged to register.

Abuja, August 16, 2025 – The Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), His Excellency Silas Ali Agara, has announced that 41,307 beneficiaries will be shortlisted for the second phase of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI 2).

The program, which is aimed at tackling unemployment through entrepreneurship training and skills acquisition, will begin shortlisting successful candidates in the first week of September.

Speaking at a press conference held at the NDE headquarters in Abuja, Agara said the number of participants for this phase had been increased from 21,000 in the first phase to 41,000. He explained that some schemes were merged to accommodate the high level of interest expressed across the country.

The NDE had earlier launched the application portal for RHEI 2 on July 28, 2025. The two-week registration window for skills acquisition training closed on August 11.

According to the Director General, the selection process is currently underway to determine those who will benefit from the program.

“There is a certain level of transparency which is the portal. Anybody can go. Because it will be wrong for us to sit in the headquarters and approve names and lodge it on the state. That would be the wrong way to go about it because the training centers that are available to us are scattered all over the state,” Agara said while addressing journalists.

The NDE boss revealed that 41,307 successful applicants will receive notifications of their selection on the 1st and 2nd of September.

He also stated that each ward across the country will have a minimum of four beneficiaries who will take part in entrepreneurship training. The training will cover about 30 different skill sets that were identified through a nationwide need assessment.

Agara further noted that the initiative has gained the support of financial institutions and partner organizations.

“We are happy that some of the financial institutions, some of the institutions we are working with will be supporting us in terms of settling some of our beneficiaries. So that made it a bit easier for us to increase the number of beneficiaries,” he said.

The Renewed Hope Employment Initiative is part of the government’s broader employment generation strategy to empower young Nigerians with relevant skills for self-reliance.

August 16, 2025 – Akwa Ibom State Government has announced that preparations are complete for the commencement of the 3rd Phase of the ARISE Free Food Distribution under the ARISE Food Security Programme.

The exercise is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.

According to the State Government, the initiative is spearheaded by Governor Pastor Umo Eno and implemented through the State Bulk Purchase Agency under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. It is designed to provide free food items to vulnerable citizens across the thirty-one Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State.

The government explained that this phase comes after the successful completion of Phases 1 and 2, which impacted a large number of households. “During the earlier phases, over 477,797 persons and households across the State benefited from the programme,” the official statement noted.

For the new phase, the distribution will begin with simultaneous visits to Oron Local Government Area and Udung Uko Local Government Area.

To ensure smooth operations, the government has set up two distribution teams, with each team assigned to one Local Government Area.

Food Vouchers have already been released to Ward Personal Assistants to the Governor. These vouchers will be shared with vulnerable persons and households carefully selected from the Social Register in each ward. The process, according to the State, is structured to ensure that those most in need are reached directly.

Local Government Chairmen have been urged to cooperate with the State Bulk Purchase Agency to guarantee orderliness and proper implementation of the exercise.

The government stressed that collaboration at the local level remains key to achieving success.

Beneficiaries have also been advised to be present at their designated distribution points on the scheduled date to collect their food items. “The State Government assures that all arrangements have been made to ensure a seamless and hitch-free process,” the statement added.

The ARISE Food Security Programme is a critical component of Governor Umo Eno’s administration, aimed at cushioning the effects of economic hardship while promoting the welfare of citizens. A detailed schedule of distribution has also been made available for public guidance.

Below is the schedule for the third phase of Arise Food Distribution Programme, which will take place every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (from 20th August to 24th September, 2025):

1. Oron & Urue Offong/Oruko: Wednesday 20th August, 2025
2. Oruk Anam & Ukanafun: Friday, 22nd August, 2025
3. Itu & Ibiono Ibom: Monday, 25th August, 2025
4. Esit Eket & Nsit Ubium: Wednesday, 27th August, 2025
5. Ika & Etim Ekpo: Friday, 29th August, 2025
6. Etinan & Onna: Monday, 01st September, 2025
7. Mbo & Udung Uko: Wednesday, 3rd September, 2025
8. Essien Udim & Obot Akara: Friday, 05th September, 2025
9. Ibesikpo Asutan & Nsit Ibom: Monday, 08th September, 2025
10. Eastern Obolo & Mkpat Enin: Wednesday, 10th September, 2025
11. Ikono & Ini: Friday, 12th September, 2025
12. Uyo & Uruan: Monday, 15th September, 2025
13. Okobo & Nsit Atai: Wednesday, 17th September, 2025
14. Ikot Ekpene & Abak: Friday, 19th September, 2025
15. Eket & Ibeno: Monday, 22nd September, 2025
16. Ikot Abasi: Wednesday, 24th September, 2025

The Federal Government has announced that 25,204 vulnerable households in Plateau State have benefited from its Renewed Hope Cash Transfer programme.

This update was shared on Friday in Jos by Mrs. Mary Fom, the State Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), during a one-day meeting with key stakeholders.

“The Renewed Hope Cash Transfer is a bold commitment by the Federal Government towards poverty reduction in Nigeria,” Fom stated while addressing participants.

She noted that debit cards have been produced for all the beneficiaries, adding that 23,797 of these cards have already been collected, while 1,371 remain unclaimed. According to her, several of the uncollected cards belong to residents who may have relocated from their communities due to security challenges.

Highlighting other ongoing interventions, Fom explained that initiatives under NSIP such as N-Power, the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, and the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme are also being implemented in Plateau State.

These projects, she said, are designed to boost social welfare, empower communities, and support economic growth.

She further noted that the meeting with stakeholders was organised to gather practical suggestions on how the programme could be improved for better results and transparency. The engagement, according to her, is part of the government’s effort to ensure that social investment initiatives remain people-focused and inclusive.

Mrs. Fom expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his continued commitment to poverty eradication and also acknowledged Governor Caleb Mutfwang for providing a conducive environment that has enabled the smooth rollout of the programme in the state.

She reassured participants that the Renewed Hope Cash Transfer would remain a key tool in reducing poverty and supporting households across Nigeria.

The Federal Government has announced that it will begin the disbursement of interest-free loans to smallholder farmers and business owners across Nigeria before the end of 2025.

The National Programme Manager of the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), Hamza Ibrahim Baba, disclosed this on Friday during an engagement with traders’ associations and other stakeholders in Kaduna State’s informal business sector.

According to Baba, the loans of up to N100,000 per beneficiary are part of the FarmerMoni scheme under GEEP, designed to support small-scale farmers in poultry, aquaculture, livestock rearing, and crop production. He explained that the initiative is meant to boost the capacity of farmers and help them access critical resources.

“This pilot phase will support farmers nationwide, small-scale business owners including Kaduna State,” he said.

“Beneficiaries will enjoy a six-month moratorium to enable them to produce before beginning repayment. The funds will help them acquire inputs such as fertilisers, livestock, veterinary drugs, and other critical tools.”

Baba noted that the programme is domiciled under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and remains a flagship initiative of the National Social Investment Programme.

He stressed that GEEP is designed to provide collateral-free, interest-free loans to micro-enterprises, petty traders, artisans, youth entrepreneurs, and farmers. The aim, he said, is to help scale up their businesses while ensuring financial inclusion for citizens at the grassroots.

He further explained that GEEP operates through three major schemes: TraderMoni, which targets youths between 18 and 45 years old engaged in petty trades; MarketMoni, which focuses on women in small-scale trading; and FarmerMoni, which is directed at rural farmers.

“These are not grants. They are loans but interest-free. The goal is to help Nigerians at the bottom of the pyramid improve their businesses, become part of the formal financial system, and eventually create jobs,” Baba said.

The programme manager added that the loans range from N5,000 to N100,000 depending on the scheme and are structured to promote sustainability through monitoring and evaluation.

He urged traders’ associations and cooperatives to cooperate with GEEP Desk Officers and field enumerators in Nigeria’s 774 local government areas to guarantee that the loans reach the right beneficiaries.

“The success of this programme depends on transparency and proper targeting. We want to reach those who truly need support, not those looking to take advantage of the system,” he stated.

Baba also assured stakeholders that the Tinubu administration is committed to expanding the reach of GEEP schemes, adding that the pilot phase for farmers would serve as the foundation for a broader rollout in 2026.

He acknowledged the role played by past administrations and ministers in the development of GEEP since its inception in 2016, while also highlighting ongoing reforms to improve delivery and accountability.

He explained that GEEP works alongside other components of the National Social Investment Programme, such as the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer, and Grants for Vulnerable Groups. “These are all aimed at reducing poverty and improving livelihoods across Nigeria,” he said.

In an interview, a beneficiary, Hauwa Musa, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government, noting that the support had improved her life and enabled her to expand her business.

Another stakeholder, Mallam Umar Usman, said he had not yet benefited from the programme but was hopeful of being included in the upcoming GEEP 3.0 phase. He described the loans as a welcome development that would make a difference for farmers and business owners.

Market leaders and traders’ representatives also commended the initiative, pledging to collaborate with GEEP Desk Officers to ensure that the loans are fairly distributed and reach only those in genuine need.

They highlighted that transparent implementation would strengthen the programme and support more Nigerians to grow their businesses.