Abuja: Charles Odii, Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), has announced plans to institutionalise the Inspire, Create, Start and Scale (ICSS) framework as a national standard for entrepreneurship development in Nigeria. The announcement was made at the 2026 ICSS4ALL National Convening in Abuja, marking a significant step in Nigeria’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) development.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Odii highlighted that the ICSS framework has evolved from a programme into a tested framework that has shown demonstrable results. The framework is now poised to become a permanent fixture in how Nigeria supports its entrepreneurs. He emphasized the critical role of MSMEs in Nigeria’s economy, noting that they account for nearly 97 percent of businesses, about 90 percent of employment, and almost half of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Odii identified a long-standing gap in Nigeria’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, which lacks standardised training and preparation for entrepreneurs. He explained that while access to finance is often cited as a challenge, the deeper issue lies in the absence of a unified curriculum or certification system for training entrepreneurs. This gap has left financial institutions without a reliable basis to assess MSME applicants, often labeling entrepreneurs as unbankable due to a lack of structured preparation.
The ICSS framework aims to address this challenge by providing a standardised and structured pathway for entrepreneurship development. Developed in collaboration with GIZ and other ecosystem partners, the framework guides entrepreneurs from ideation to growth and market access. It also equips them with the technical, managerial, and financial skills required in the formal economy, enhancing their ability to present their businesses in formats understood by financial institutions, thereby improving access to funding.
Odii disclosed that over 14,000 entrepreneurs, mostly young Nigerians, have been trained under the programme. Many of these entrepreneurs initially lacked documentation, structure, and financial literacy. The ICSS framework has enabled them to build stronger business foundations and clearer paths forward. To ensure sustainability, SMEDAN has established the ICSS Institute at its Garki Annex Office in Abuja as the institutional base for the curriculum.
The agency has secured licensing from the Federal Ministry of Education, ensuring that ICSS certificates carry nationally recognised accreditation. This accreditation changes how entrepreneurs engage with financial institutions, making ICSS certification a credential the formal economy recognises. SMEDAN is also reviewing the National MSME Policy to embed the ICSS framework as the standard for entrepreneurship education nationwide, with efforts ongoing to drive adoption across states and the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Odii announced the rollout of the ICSSlearn digital platform, designed to expand access to entrepreneurship training across Nigeria. This initiative is expected to increase the reach from thousands to hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs. He commended key partners, including GOPA and Kaduna Business School, for their contributions to the programme, and acknowledged the sustained support of GIZ and the German Government.
The Director-General urged ICSS alumni to leverage available resources like the GROW fund and digital platform to scale their businesses and encouraged new entrepreneurs to take advantage of the training pathways. Odii reiterated SMEDAN’s commitment to scaling the initiative, with the goal of establishing ICSS as Nigeria’s national standard for entrepreneurship education, reflecting the full productive capacity of Nigerians. He stated that while significant progress has been made, the work is far from finished.