Supporting Regulatory Efficiency and Unlocking Business Potentials for African Prosperity
Our work impacts on various dimensions of businesses' operations, government support for businesses and the overall business environment.
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We are Driving the African Poverty Reduction Agenda (APRA) Through Strategic Support and Promotion of SMEs
We are Driving the African Poverty Reduction Agenda (APRA) Through Strategic Support and Promotion of SMEs
At CSED, we are dedicated to reducing poverty across Africa by empowering small business owners through access to technology, capacity building, funding, and markets. By equipping entrepreneurs with the tools and resources they need, we enable them to use their businesses as vehicles for poverty reduction within their communities. Our suite of programs has been carefully selected to help us to realize our vision through a combination of in-house expertise, technology and partnerships.
Our Approach to Poverty Reduction
Our Approach to Poverty Reduction
Empowering Business Owners
Empowering Business Owners
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) account for over 90% of businesses in Nigeria, contributing more than 60% of employment and nearly 50% of the national GDP. With such a significant role, MSMEs are key to job creation and poverty reduction, and at CSED, we are committed to maximizing their potential to drastically reduce poverty nationwide and across Africa.
We partner with national and sub-national agencies, corporations, and local and international development organizations to empower small business owners, enabling them to create wealth and generate jobs in their communities
Our Programs
CBI delivers National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) accredited courses alongside specially curated programs, offering three tiers of learning experiences tailored to diverse learners and career stages:
NBTE Accredited Programs – Structured, career-focused programs aligned with national and global standards.
Business Executive Programs – Strategic, executive-level training designed to accelerate careers and drive business growth.
Specialized Cohort-Based Programs – Immersive, hands-on learning experiences delivered in cohorts to prepare participants for real-world challenges.
When your product is ready or when it’s time to reposition it for greater impact—Start Studio takes you to market with clarity, confidence, and authority.
We bring together a powerhouse of professionals from Marketing & Sales, Legal & Management, Tech & Multimedia, Production, and Funding to give your product the full package it needs to stand out, win customers, and scale. From branding and packaging to digital marketing, shipping, and customer experience, we handle it end-to-end so you can focus on growth.
You can access Start Studio through either fully-funded LaunchPad Fellowship or by signing-up on the studio subscription Plan.
The Subnational MSME Advancement Template (SMAT) is a strategic advocacy and assessment tool that guides state and regional governments in designing, implementing, and sustaining high-impact MSME development initiatives.
By evaluating MSME interventions across three critical pillars of Policy, Funding, and Programs (PFP) — SMAT provides data-driven insights and actionable recommendations to ensure that subnational economies are equipped to foster innovation, stimulate job creation, and promote inclusive economic growth.
Every day, millions of African MSMEs miss out on growth—not because their ideas lack potential, but because they lack digital records, financial statements, and credit scores. Without these, doors to funding remain shut.
The Get Digitized & Get Funded Campaign is here to change that.
At its core is Capsule—a groundbreaking platform that gives MSMEs the tools to finally compete and thrive.
With Capsule, every business can:
Digitize daily operations with simple bookkeeping, accounting, and payments.
Turn transactions into credit scores and financial statements that meet global standards.
Unlock funding through Capsule’s integrated funding marketplace for grants, loans, and equity investment.
Africa’s economic future is entrepreneurial — but it’s being held back.
Over 90% of African SMEs face chronic barriers to accessing finance. The African Development Bank (2024) estimates a $330 billion SME financing gap that stifles innovation, limits job creation, and stalling productivity.
The African MSME Funding Forum (AMFF) is more than a conference — it’s a continental deal-making platform designed to close that gap. Here, policy actors, funders, and real businesses connect in an environment engineered for practical funding solutions and scalable capital access models for deals, insights, and system reform.
TAP is designed as a continental trade, investment, and socio-economic catalyst, integrating infrastructure, capacity development, trade facilitation, and global market access into a single program framework. By mobilizing up to US$250 million per participating country through a mixed grant, debt, and equity financing instrument.
TAP works in strategic partnership with African governments, private investors, and development institutions to deliver sustainable, high-impact trade infrastructure and ecosystem development.
The Trade Africa Program offers a high-impact, low-risk, legacy-building opportunity for forward-thinking African governments.
Business and Community Development Advisory
Business and Community Development Advisory
We draw from years of experience supporting international companies through deep and relevant market studies and market entry strategy development, business representation, and project development services for infrastructure and social development.
CSED Integrated Strategy Unit (CiSu) Limited
CSED Integrated Strategy Unit (CiSu) Limited
CiSu is the arm of CSED responsible for asset development, business advisory, and community development services for private, public, and development sector organizations. We lead initiatives ranging from state government needs assessments to market research on additive manufacturing, inclusive finance, and creative industries. We also support company establishment in Nigeria and facilitate the expansion of African companies into new markets. Also as the primary promoter of Trade Africa Program (TAP) with its iconic TAP International Center (TIC), CiSu leads commercial real estate development projects in collaboration with a consortium of partners.
Our advisors possess deep, practical expertise in business development and market growth, providing tailored advisory services to drive innovation and development across sectors.
Our Impact Stories
Our Impact Stories
BEEP Officially Launched! - Bayelsa Steps Boldly into the Digital Future of Entrepreneurship: CSED as Implementing Partner
BEEP Officially Launched! - Bayelsa Steps Boldly into the Digital Future of Entrepreneurship: CSED as Implementing Partner
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......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)......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.......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 on AIT; 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......Read More
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.....Read More
Benue Economic Development Agenda (BEDA); Re-establishing the place of Benue as Food Basket of the Nation
Benue Economic Development Agenda (BEDA); Re-establishing the place of Benue as Food Basket of the Nation
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 partnership with the JZTP Foundation. Together, they orchestrated... Read More
Startup Ecosystem Development in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria
Startup Ecosystem Development in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria
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 partnership with Harmony Innovation Hub. This collaboration culminated in the provision... Read More
Growing Access to finance across West Africa
Growing Access to finance across West Africa
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-keeping solutions and facilitate access to funding through... Read More
Strategic Enterprise Ecosystem Development and Advocacy
Strategic Enterprise Ecosystem Development and Advocacy
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) and private sector development domain. At the heart of this endeavor is the MSMEs Friendly States Index (MFSI), a powerful... Read More
Bridging the $158million MSMEs Funding gap in Nigeria
Bridging the $158million MSMEs Funding gap in Nigeria
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 serves as a pivotal platform fostering collaboration and dialogue among public-private entities and international development... Read More
Growing Business Executives’ Capacity for Inclusion in the Contemporary Economy
Growing Business Executives’ Capacity for Inclusion in the Contemporary Economy
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 Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. This strategic move by CSED involves collaboration with divers... Read More
Become a driving force for Africa's economic transformation.
Become a driving force for Africa's economic transformation.
Join a community of leading minds and experts who are committed to fostering sustainable economic growth and uplifting communities. Together, we can empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to thrive, creating jobs and lifting families out of poverty.
Our initiatives are designed to strengthen, support, and strategically grow SMEs, providing them with the tools and resources they need to succeed. By investing in SMEs, we are investing in the future of Africa.
Join us in shaping the conversation about Africa's economic future.
Join us in shaping the conversation about Africa's economic future.
The discussions that will shape Africa's economic trajectory are happening now. We invite you to be a part of this important dialogue. Share your ideas, seek solutions, and collaborate with us to make a difference.
Together, we can build a more prosperous and equitable Africa. Join us today.
Together, we can build a more prosperous and equitable Africa. Join us today.
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