Kwara: Senator Mustapha disburses N100m cash grants to SMEs

More than 300 small-scale business owners, craftsmen, and skilled workers across Kwara Central senatorial district have received support under an empowerment programme facilitated by the senator representing the district, Mallam Saliu Mustapha.

Speaking during the distribution exercise in Ilorin on Tuesday, the director general of Senator Mustapha Constituency Office for the Ilorin East local government area, Hon. Bashirat Kolawole, said that the initiative was implemented in partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).

The grants distributed ranged from ₦100,000 to ₦500,000 each to beneficiaries.

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The senator’s aide, who said that the programme was designed to strengthen small businesses, create jobs, and foster economic independence among constituents, added that the grants were conceived to uplift entrepreneurs and enable them to expand their enterprises.

Hon. Kolawole said that the lawmaker has always championed initiatives that make his constituents self-reliant rather than dependent.

Also speaking at the event, a political analyst, Comrade Lanre Ishowo, lauded Senator Mustapha as a genuine philanthropist who has positively impacted many lives.

He encouraged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the grants, which ranged from ₦100,000 to ₦500,000, to grow their businesses and improve their livelihoods.

On his part, SMEDAN’s representative, Mr. Marvelous Olumide Atta, described the programme as a major milestone in empowering skilled workers across the district.

He stressed that craftsmen and small business operators remain “lifeblood of the economy” but are often hindered by limited access to capital, inadequate training, and a lack of modern tools.

“This grant initiative is not merely a financial intervention; it is a testament to our collective belief in the potential of local craftsmen and skilled workers,” Atta said.

He added that SMEDAN would complement the support with training, mentorship, and other resources to maximise the scheme’s impact.

Beneficiaries, drawn from across the senatorial district, expressed appreciation to Senator Mustapha, noting that the empowerment would enable them to expand their ventures and improve their quality of life.