Welcome to our blog, an insightful hub dedicated to the vibrant world of SMEs – the driving force behind economic growth and innovation. Here, we delve into the intricacies of empowering small and medium-sized enterprises, exploring strategies, perspectives, and success stories that ignite inspiration and pave the way for business excellence.
On the morning of June 17, 2025, The air was charged with purpose as His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, stood before a diverse audience of policymakers, bankers, development professionals, and young entrepreneurs to officially launch the Bayelsa E-commerce Entrepreneurship Program—widely known as BEEP.
The event was a remarkable convergence of public leadership and private partnership. Heads of major federal institutions—CAC, BOI, NIPOST, NITDA, SMEDAN, and NIPC—were all present, not just as observers but as committed collaborators. Alongside them stood representatives from Fidelity Bank, Access Bank, Premium Trust Bank, Wema Bank, GIG Logistics, and UPS—private sector giants who understood that digital enterprise is the next frontier for economic growth and inclusion in Nigeria. The message was clear: this was not business as usual. This was a deliberate, collaborative move to redefine the trajectory of micro and small businesses in the state.
At the heart of the BEEP initiative is a simple but powerful belief—that with the right structure, skills, and support, small businesses in Bayelsa can compete, grow, and thrive in the digital age. The program is promoted by the Office of the Special Adviser on Trade and Investment to the Governor and implemented by the Center for Strategic Enterprise Development (CSED), who will lead a seven-month post-launch implementation that goes beyond fanfare and deep into the trenches of real, measurable impact.....Read More
Bayelsa State–Presidency Collaboration for Economic and Financial Inclusion: CSED as Implementing Partner
On April 14, 2025, the Center for Strategic Enterprise Development (CSED), in its capacity as the implementing partner to the Office of the Special Adviser on Trade and Investment to the Governor of Bayelsa State, participated in a high-level collaboration meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The meeting was between the Special Adviser on Trade and Investment to the Bayelsa State Governor and the Technical Adviser on Economic and Financial Inclusion to the President, who also serves as the Executive Secretary of the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI).
The primary focus of the meeting was to align federal MSME intervention programs with the unique needs of Bayelsa State, localizing and domesticating economic and financial inclusion initiatives through a public-public partnership model. The engagement marks a pivotal step toward extending critical support to grassroots enterprises and underrepresented communities in Bayelsa......Read More
Inter-ministerial Collaborations with CSED for Nigeria’s Digital Creativity Industry
On April 10, 2025, the Center for Strategic Enterprise Development (CSED) engaged in a high-level inter-ministerial meeting aimed at fostering strategic partnerships for the growth of Nigeria’s digital creativity sector. The session was convened by the Public & Bilateral Affairs Department of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
The meeting brought together key representatives from the Office of the SGF, the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism & Creativity, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Social Development, the Federal Ministry of Communications & Digital Economy, among others.
Representing CSED were: ID Freeman – Country Director & CEO, Chioma Okorie – Chief Operating Officer, Rachel Anyanwu – Executive Director, Business Digitization & Funding Department and Emmanuel Ezeoka – Managing Partner, CiSu Advisory .....Read More
Office of the Deputy Speaker Collaborates with CSED, Nollywood Stakeholders and Partners to Empower Young People in the South East
On Friday, November 22, 2024, a delegation from the Center for Strategic Enterprise Development (CSED) met with Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the National House of Representatives and Convener of the Peace In South East Project (PISE-P), at his guest house in Asokoro, Abuja. The CSED delegation included Mrs. Nancy Nnaji, Board Chair of CSED and Executive Producer of Moneyline with Nancy; ID Freeman, Country Director & CEO of CSED; Amb. Dr. Queen Blessing Ebigieson, National President of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) Nigeria; Amb. Paul Obazele, Actor & Filmmaker; Chioma Okorie, COO of CSED; and Emmanuel Ezeoka, Managing Partner at CiSu Advisory
The purpose of the meeting was to formalize a collaboration with the Deputy Speaker’s office in implementing the South East New Generation of Nollywood Producers Prize, a key component of the Entertainment, Cultural, and Tourism Program under PISE-P.......Read More
BLOG POST
CSED Delegation Champions Economic Transformation in Benue State
On Tuesday, October 22, 2024, the Center for Strategic Enterprise Development (CSED) Country Director and CEO, ID Freeman, visited Benue State, Nigeria. The visit, facilitated by Dooyum Naadzenga, CSED Head of Policy & Strategic Engagement for Benue State, aimed to advance CSED's developmental initiatives in the region. These initiatives began in 2021 with the Integrated Benue Communities Development (IBCD) Need Assessment, funded by the James Zua Tule Pewaren Foundation (JZTPF). Following the assessment, CSED developed the Benue Economic Development Agenda Framework anchored on an Agricultural Development-Led Industrialization (ADLI) Implementation Plan.
Engagement with the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Creativity
The day commenced with a closed-door meeting at the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Creativity, facilitated by Amb. David-AllGreen Fiase, Consultant to the Benue State Government on Film Development. The meeting was chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. John Akume, who represented the Commissioner, Rt. Hon. Terkimbi Kyange. Present were key officials, including Director of Sports Mr. Emmanuel Ichul, Director of Youth Mrs. Comfort Tsa, Director of Accounting Mrs. Ayanmekaa, and Director of Legal, Barrister Terwase Alashi.....Read More
The Benue Economic Development Agenda (BEDA) stands as a transformative blueprint, aiming to reinstate Benue State as the revered Food Basket of Nigeria. In the inaugural phase of BEDA, the Center for Strategic Enterprise Development (CSED) forged a strategic...
The inception of the Start Studio Incubator marked a significant stride in shaping innovative ideas into sustainable businesses while seamlessly integrating them into the global funding ecosystem. Originating in 2018, prior to the formal establishment of the Center for Strategic Enterprise Development (CSED) in 2019, the Founders initiated an experimental ....
Addressing the substantial $158 million USD funding gap for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria, the Center for Strategic Enterprise Development (CSED) took proactive measures by introducing The Funding Forum (TFF). This innovative initiative initiative serves as a pivotal platform fostering collaboration and dialogue ...
The Center for Strategic Enterprise Development (CSED) embarked on a transformative journey to enhance financial inclusion across West Africa, particularly targeting Nano, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (NMSMEs). The financial inclusion platform, initially launched in Ghana and Nigeria, aimed to provide credible record...
The Center for Strategic Enterprise Development (CSED) spearheads the Future SMEs Project (FSP), a dynamic accountability initiative focused on amplifying the voice of Micro, Small, and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria's public expenditure management (PEM...
In 2023, the Center for Strategic Enterprise Development (CSED) unveiled the CSED Business Institute (CBI), a transformative initiative driven by extensive industry research on the business and human capacity requirements of Micro Small, and...
How are your customers solving problem of record keeping today? Many MSMEs do not know about alternative funding sources available to them. In the cases where they are aware of the funding sources available to them, they do not have the proper documentation required to approach the funding...
Economic inequality and bad governance are interconnected and reinforce each other in Nigeria. With a 0.35% Gini Coefficient and over 133 million (out of about 200 million) Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty , the overlap between political and economic power has meant a severe inequality of opportunities, wealth and a biased...
