200 MSMEs Graduate as Agege, LSETF Boost Local Enterprises

Agege Local Council, in partnership with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (Lagos State Employment Trust Fund), has empowered over 200 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with training on access to finance, business structuring, and growth opportunities.

The programme, which also prepared beneficiaries to access LSETF loans ranging from ₦50,000 to ₦5 million at a 9% interest rate, was concluded with a graduation and cheque presentation ceremony held at the Agege Local Council Secretariat.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of Agege Local Council, Abdul-Ganiyu Obasa, described the initiative as more than a training programme, calling it a deliberate step toward unlocking economic opportunities in the area.

“This graduation is not just a completion of a programme, but the activation of a new layer of economic opportunities within Agege,” he said. “Over 200 entrepreneurs have been prepared, not just trained, but positioned for growth, structure, and access to finance.”

He added that the council is building a resilient local economy through targeted interventions in infrastructure, enterprise development, and support for traders, artisans, and creatives.

“We are building an Agege that works, an Agege that produces, an Agege that competes,” he said. “Our fashion and creative hubs are not just projects, they are platforms for productivity.”

He urged the beneficiaries to take responsibility for their growth and build sustainable businesses that can drive economic transformation in their communities.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, Feyisayo Alayande, said the programme represents more than a graduation exercise.

“We have not just trained them, but also prepared these entrepreneurs for something bigger: access to opportunity, structure, and most importantly, access to finance,” she said.

Alayande noted that the partnership between LSETF and Agege Local Council demonstrates how collaboration between state and local governments can drive meaningful economic impact.

She added that over the past four weeks, participants were equipped with practical tools to scale their businesses and improve sustainability, stressing that such initiatives remain key to reducing unemployment and strengthening grassroots enterprise development.