Crsmeda

Agwagune Youth and Students Charged to Become Problem-Solvers and Impact Makers at WYSD 2026 Conference

The youths and students of the Agwagune community in Biase Local Government Area have been charged to become active problem-solvers and impact makers. This charge was given at the recently concluded World Youth Skills Day 2026,
Themed Importance of Skill Acquisition in the 21st Century, the impactful event was convened by Great Ogban, Founder of the Leaders Den Foundation.

The Special Guest of Honour, Honorable Ngim Okpo Ngim (Candidate for the Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency), enjoined the youths on the importance of embracing businesses with a mindset of hard work, commitment, and consistency as the sure path to success.

Addressing local concerns in panel session, Hon. Ngim assured the Agwagune youths of his commitment to tackling the ecological challenges plaguing the community due to the Cross River basin to find a lasting solution. He also emphasized the prioritization of education that is directly relevant to the community's needs as a key sustainability mechanism.

Sharing practical insights on entrepreneurial growth, Joseph 'Lashakara' Edet (Founder of the La Shakara fashion brand and APC flag bearer for the Odukpani State Constituency) took the youths through his personal journey of building his business and training over 200 young entrepreneurs along the way.

Hon. Edet charged the students to embrace businesses that solve real-world problems and create tangible impacts, stressing that self-development is crucial in the journey of self-discovery.
"Know what you want to do, how you want to go about it... create the highest vision for yourself."
— Hon. Joseph Edet

The Keynote Speaker, Pst. Ekuri Ekuri Atsu (Manager of the Cross River ICT Hub), harped on the critical need for young people to develop essential soft skills, ranging from communication to leadership.

He highlighted that technical knowledge alone is not enough to secure long-term professional success:

"There are things that certificates can do and there are things that human relationships can do. You can't grow within the ranks as a professional without a blend of soft skills and what you know." — Pst. Ekuri Ekuri Atsu

In attendance at the Conference were Rt. Hon George ObenEchti PhD, Chairman of Cross River State Forestry Commission, Agwagune/Okurike APC Ward chairman, Biase APC Chapter Chairman, Coordinator Renewed Hope Biase Chapter, State Chairman NYCN, Biase Cordinator NYCN, Biakpan APC Ward Chairman Agwagune/Okurike Students Leadership and Youths Leadership

Governor Otu Formally Receives Most MSME-Friendly Governor Award, Pledges Continued Support for Cross River Businesses

The Executive Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Otu, has been officially presented with the prestigious Most MSME-Friendly Governor recognition, which was recently conferred on him by the Presidency at the 8th National MSME Awards.

The official presentation followed a highly productive, strategic engagement between the state’s business community and government agencies. The delegation was led by the Commissioner for Commerce, Hon. Abigail Orok Duke, the Management of the Cross River State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (CRSMEDA) and executives of the Calabar Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CALCCIMA).

Receiving the award, Governor Otu expressed his deep gratitude to the Presidency and the organised private sector, dedicating the accolade to the resilient small business owners driving the state's local economy. He noted that the recognition validates his administration's deliberate efforts to reposition the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector as the bedrock of Cross River’s economic revolution.

Governor Otu reaffirmed his administration's unwavering commitment to fostering a thriving commercial ecosystem. He assured stakeholders that the state government would sustain its current momentum by introducing more progressive policy formulations and aggressively improving the ease of doing business across the state.

This award is not just a celebration of what we have achieved, but a mandate to do more, Governor Otu stated. Our administration remains fully committed to removing bureaucratic bottlenecks, creating access to critical funding, and establishing a seamless environment where micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises can thrive, expand, and compete globally.

Speaking during the presentation, leadership representatives from the Ministry of Commerce, CRSMEDA and CALCCIMA commended the Governor for his open-door policy and intentional investments in enterprise development. They noted that the synergy between the state government and the organised private sector has already triggered a visible resurgence in the number of active, structured small businesses across Cross River.

With this development, the Cross River State Government reinforces its trajectory toward becoming a premier commercial hub in the region, fueled by a vibrant, protected, and highly empowered MSME sector.

Presidency recognizes Gov. Otu as the most MSME-friendly Governor of the year at the 8th National MSME Awards

The Executive Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Prince Bassey Otu, has been honored with the prestigious Most MSME-Friendly Governor award by the Presidency. The accolade was presented at the recently concluded 8th National MSME Awards, in recognition of the State Government’s unwavering commitment to revitalizing the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector—a dedication clearly reflected in the rapid growth of small businesses across the state.

The high-profile event, organised by the Office of the Vice-President, also featured the public presentation of the compendium titled ‘Building Nigeria, Empowering MSMEs.’ The publication chronicles the landmarks of the Federal Government in strengthening MSME development across the nation under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The ceremony brought together top-tier government functionaries, private sector leaders, and key stakeholders within the enterprise ecosystem. Dignitaries in attendance included Taiwo Oyedele, Ministers of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Muhammad Idris Malagi, Minister of Information and National Orientation; Sen. Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President in the Office of the Vice President; Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation & MSME; and Charles Odii, Director-General/CEO, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).

Others are Mr. Bonaventure Okhaimo, Managing Director, National Credit Guarantee Company (NCGC); Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General and CEO, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); and Taiwo Dada, Special Assistant to the President on Social Media among others.

The Cross River State delegation to the event was led by the Commissioner for Commerce, Hon. Abigail Orok-Duke; alongside Great Ogban, Director-General/CEO of the Cross River State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (CRSMEDA); and Mr. Essessien Edem, Board Chairman of CRSMEDA.

In a double victory for the state, Cross River also clinched the Award of Excellence for MSME Clinics Participant (Female Category). This followed a keenly contested competition that celebrated outstanding performers across various sectors, including Tax Compliance.

The awards coincided with the global commemoration of World MSME Day, which honors the resilience, innovation, and vital economic impact of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises worldwide.

GOV. BASSEY OTU SET TO RECEIVE THE MOST MSME-FRIENDLY GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR AWARD BY THE PRESIDENCY

His Excellency, Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu, has been nominated as the most MSME-friendly awardee at the upcoming 2026 National MSME Awards. The prestigious event is scheduled to take place on Saturday 27th of June, 2026, at the Conference Centre, Statehouse, Abuja.

The event, which is being organised by the Office of the Vice-President, will also feature the Public Presentation of a Compendium of MSME Activities under the Renewed Hope Agenda, highlighting landmark achievements in micro, small, and medium enterprise development across the nation.

The nomination reflects the Governor’s deliberate, structured efforts to empower small businesses, stimulate local production, and drive grassroots economic transformation within the State.

Under Governor Otu’s administration, Cross River State has consistently prioritized the growth of entrepreneurs through strategic intervention programs, financial inclusion initiatives, and a conducive regulatory ecosystem engineered by the Cross River State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (CRSMEDA). This national recognition underscores the administration's alignment with the federal government's Renewed Hope Agenda to position MSMEs as the bedrock of sustainable economic growth.

The ceremony is expected to gather top government functionaries, private sector leaders, and key stakeholders in the enterprise ecosystem to celebrate excellence in small business support and development.

CRSG/BOI ₦2 Billion Facility: Stakeholders Host Townhall to Empower Cross River MSMEs

In a significant move to bolster the state’s micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) sector, the Cross River State Government, in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI), hosted an interactive townhall session recently. The event provided local business owners with a masterclass on accessing the ₦2 Billion matching funds designated for economic development across the state.

The engagement session, held at the Prof. Eyo Ita House in Calabar, sought to demystify the application process and provide clarity on the eligibility criteria for the facility.

In his opening remarks, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Cross River State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (CRSMEDA), Great Ogban, emphasized the administration’s commitment to driving grassroots economic growth by removing barriers to affordable credit for entrepreneurs.

Representing the Bank of Industry, Pacqueens Irabor, Divisional Head (South-South), provided a detailed breakdown of the facility. He noted that the loan is designed with a favorable tenure of three to five years at a single-digit interest rate of 7.5%. Irabor further outlined the cost structure, which includes an appraisal fee of 1% and a monitoring fee of 0.125%, both payable only after the formal acceptance of an offer letter. The facility is split into two categories: term loans, which cater to capital items such as production equipment, and working capital loans, which cater to operational overheads. Eligibility extends across a wide range of sectors, including fashion, hospitality, agriculture, and manufacturing. Notably, the fund also supports importers of production equipment, though not finished retail goods.

To streamline the application process, the BOI highlighted the essential documentation required. Applicants must provide two invoices, consisting of one proforma and one operational invoice, along with 12 months of bank statements of the business account. For those seeking less than 3 million Naira, one guarantor is required, and the guarantor can be a business owner, professional, bank staff member, or civil servant. For those seeking more than 5 to 10 million Naira and above, two guarantors are required, as well as collateral such as a Certificate of Occupancy of a land valued at two times the amount being requested, and the business must be registered as a limited liability company.

Supporting the initiative, Yemi Nelson, Director of the Land Bank at the Cross River Geographic Information Agency (CRGIA), addressed concerns regarding collateral documentation. He noted that the agency has streamlined the process of land documentation, with the highlight being the 60-day time frame for preparing Certificates of Occupancy.

Additionally, Ayi Archibong, Managing Director of the Cross River Microfinance Bank, reaffirmed the bank’s dedication to supporting the state’s MSME ecosystem, asserting that the bank now offers facilities to small businesses to further strengthen MSME development in the state.

3 years of purposeful leadership!

His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, thank you for championing entrepreneurship and enabling growth across Cross River.

From CRSMEDA, we salute your strides in empowering SMEs, creating jobs, and turning business dreams into real results.

Happy 3rd Anniversary, Your Excellency!

Today we celebrate the dreamers.

CRSMEDA believes every child can become an entrepreneur—start small, learn fast, build big. 🚀

This month at CRSMEDA: Entrepreneurship Development! 💡

Build skills. Grow your enterprise. Earn more.

Let’s turn your idea into a business that lasts. 💪🏽