Lagos launches market access initiative to expand opportunities for MSMEs
By Adeola Ogunrinde
The Lagos State Government on Thursday launched the “Access to Market” initiative to connect Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with buyers, distributors, corporate partners and investors as part of efforts to strengthen entrepreneurship and drive sustainable economic growth.
Speaking at the launch of the initiative at JJT Park, Alausa, the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Akinyemi Ajigbotafe, represented by the Director of Employment, Demilola Shitta, said the programme marks a new phase in the state’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurs beyond training and access to finance.
Ajigbotafe disclosed that the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) has disbursed more than N15 billion through 20,000 loans over the past decade, created over 320,000 jobs, trained 30,000 youths, maintained a 94.53 per cent loan repayment rate and supported more than 82,000 businesses through capacity-building programmes.
He explained that the new initiative is designed to bridge the market access gap by providing structured trade fairs, exhibitions and curated marketplace events that connect entrepreneurs with customers and strategic business partners for long-term growth.
According to the commissioner, the maiden edition of Lagos on Display, scheduled for August 6 to 8, features 300 MSMEs from across the state and provides many digital entrepreneurs with an opportunity to showcase their products in a physical marketplace.
Meanwhile, LSETF Director of Programmes, Oyindamola Egbeyemi, described the initiative as a market stimulation programme that complements access to finance by helping entrepreneurs secure customers and expand their businesses beyond Lagos, citing a beneficiary who has successfully entered the Kenyan market.
Also speaking, the representative of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adenike Osinowo, conveyed the goodwill of Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and urged exhibitors and participants to maximise the opportunities provided by the initiative to grow their businesses.
The state government reaffirmed its commitment to creating an enabling environment where innovation and enterprise can thrive while encouraging residents, investors and the business community to support and participate in the Lagos on Display 2026 exhibition.
