Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo will virtually unveil the Eko MSMEs Fashion Hub-1 on Friday in Ikeja, Lagos.
Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Dr. Lola Akande disclosed this on Thursday at a news conference in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
Akande also announced the upcoming 5th edition of Lagos State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Exclusive Fair, with the theme: “MSMEs in the time of COVID-19: Survival Strategies to Beat the Odds.”
The Fair will hold between September 22 and 27, 2020 at the Blue Roof, LTV 8, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos.
The Eko MSME Exclusive Fair is an event where entrepreneurs are given stalls free of charge so that they can showcase their products and improve sales as well as network by making new contacts.
However, she said the Eko MSMEs Fashion Hub-1 would be unveiled at 5 Ogunsiji Street, off Alade Market, Allen Avenue, Ikeja.
“As we are aware that new technologies are springing up faster than we can create and service innovations are taking place at lightning speed, it is imperative that this administration develops, designs and implements services and policies that would benefit MSMEs in the state,” she said.
Akande stated that the current administration had left nothing to chance in the development and continuous growth of the MSME sector in Lagos, saying that the fashion industry was driven almost by MSMEs and that it was believed to be one of the most promising alternatives to the nation’s dwindling oil fortunes.
The commissioner said the Federal Government, through the Office of the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Organised Private Sector decided to tap into available potential in the fashion industry by setting up a shared Fashion Facility in the state which had emerged as the ‘Eko MSME Fashion Hub-1,’ which is the first of its kind in Lagos.
According to her, the centre, the first phase of the shared MSME Fashion facility, is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery, such as industrial button-hole machines for suits and shirts, tinko machines, straight sewing industrial embroidery machines, monogram machines, among others, to afford MSMEs in the fashion space the opportunity to utilize them for a token and thereby enhance productivity and apparel quality that could compete favourably with their counterparts around the world, thus promoting the ‘Made-in-Lagos’ brand.
“In so doing, skilled and semi-skilled fashion designers who ordinarily would be thwarted by prohibitive start-up expenses are availed the privilege of access to these industrial machines for a token, ultimately creating jobs, boosting trade and commerce, improving income and increasing GDP as a corollary.
“This hub is also for retail of various types of ready-to-wear clothes and accessories and is also a centre for capacity building and continued up skilling of those in the fashion industry.
“It is imperative to reiterate the role of Organised Private Sector in this type of Public-Private Partnership collaboration which is an integral element and the 5th pillar of this administration’s THEMES Agenda in Lagos State i.e ‘Making Lagos State a 21st Century Economy,” she said.
Akande stated that the Eko MSME Fashion Hub-1 would be commissioned by Osinbajo via zoom teleconference while Sanwo-Olu would cut the tape at the venue in line with COVID-19 Protocols of social distancing.