Tax reforms, SME funding boosting small businesses under Tinubu, says Yishawu
The lawmaker representing Eti-Osa Constituency 2 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Engr. Gbolahan Yishawu, has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the impactful implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in the areas of education, skills development and support for small-scale businesses.
Yishawu gave the commendation during the graduation ceremony of the GOY Women Vocational Centre and the GOY Digital Skills Hub.
He praised the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding access to tertiary education and empowering Nigerian youths, saying “the administration’s education reforms driven through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) have significantly widened access to higher education by providing school fee support and monthly stipends to students”.
He noted that over one million students across 322 institutions are currently benefiting from the initiative, describing it as a major step toward ensuring that every Nigerian youth has unhindered access to tertiary education.
Yishawu also highlighted the Federal Government’s support for vocational graduates and micro-enterprise professionals, including caterers, hairdressers, fashion designers and soap makers.
He listed key programmes such as training by the National Directorate of Employment and the Industrial Training Fund, certification under the National Skills Qualification Framework, and entrepreneurship support through the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). Financing opportunities, he added, are available through the Bank of Industry and NIRSAL Microfinance Bank, as well as micro-credit schemes such as TraderMoni and MarketMoni.
The lawmaker further pointed to new tax reforms that favour small businesses, noting that enterprises with annual turnover below ₦100 million now enjoy tax relief, enabling them to reinvest profits and expand their operations.
Addressing graduates in digital fields such as data analytics, graphic design, digital marketing, cybersecurity and UI/UX, Yishawu described the current period as an exciting time to enter the digital economy, citing the Federal Government’s investment in digital talent through programmes like the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Programme, which aims to train Nigerians and connect them to global remote work opportunities.
He added that agencies such as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the National Youth Investment Fund, the Bank of Industry, SMEDAN and NIRSAL Microfinance Bank are providing advanced training, business support and funding for digital startups and freelancers.
