Dr. Stanley Muoneke is the chairman of the board of the Association of Certified Business Development Providers (ACBDSP), a professional committed to enhancing the capacity of micro, small and medium enterprises in Nigeria. In this interview with IKECHI NZEAKO, he speaks on what the body is doing to ensure that small businesses thrive in the country. He also x-rays other issues in the small business ecosystem in Nigeria. Excerpts:
What are the objectives of the organization?
It is also an organization that was set up as a platform for people who are licensed certified business development providers in Nigeria. It is a certified body of professionals and one of the things we do is build a community of professionals.
What we want to do is drive professionalism; you know out there everyone claims to be one thing or the other for SMEs.
We are a professional body of professionals. One of the things we want to do is to build a community of professionals who define excellence and advance the essence.
Certified business development providers are people who have gone through some kind of training by the government and based on a curriculum that the government set up through the Federal Government through the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry.
They set up a national framework for accreditation and certification of certified business development providers and as a result of that certified business development providers that went through training and interviews and then fulfilled all the requirements ended up getting practising licences.
Based on that certified business developers set up an association to ensure that standardization and professionalism that has been done will be maintained.
Certified business development providers went through institutions; one is the Enterprise Development Centre of Atlantic University, Lagos and other business schools.
Primarily the people that got licences are the people who have been certified.
Aside from trying to build a community of professionals that can do business in an ethical manner, we are trying to support the SMEs in the country , enhance their capacity in terms of very specific objectives, and drive a common standard for professionalism.
And when we work together we can contribute, influence and interface with the regulators, we will be able to do more when we work together. It can also be a platform to exchange ideas and gain knowledge.
When was the association established?
The association goes back a little bit; however, the association was awarded a licence in September 2021 and was incorporated in April 2022.
What have been the challenges?
One of the challenges is setting out as a corporate body in Nigeria, and trying to create a workspace and engaging the wider ecosystem. Even though that is still continuing, it is not as if we are already there.
One of the things we do is to promote ourselves; put the association out there so that more people can know about it.
We are successful certified business development providers on our own, individually. What we are trying to do is to form a professional body that can be self-regulatory.
Generally, how will you describe the SMEsspace in Nigeria?
It is vibrant and it is also challenging. Nigerians are people who are very entrepreneurial, however, what we need is support, we need government support so that the environment can be friendly for business.
In recent times, we know the challenges that we face in the economy and the position of the government.
We want to work with the government as a partner and not against it; we want to ensure that we work with SMEs.
Our role is very fundamental which is the reason the government formed BDSP in the first place. Remember we are a creation of the government and we can only support the government.
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There is a big gap that exists in many areas, SMEs, for instance, need practical hand holding, that is part of what we are set up to do.
SMEs need to have governance structures; they need to build systems, processes and procedures. These are some of the areas we have challenges.
SMEs need to build capacity to be able to build and manage equipment and personnel and other resources. Most of us are experts and consultants.
SMEs need to access loans and that is a big challenge in Nigeria; they should be able to access finances at an appropriate rate.
The government has the Bank of Industry, but how many SMEs know how to go through the process of getting loans.
These are areas of expertise that BDSP can help SMEs to access loans, grants for investment.
How do you ensure that those who do not have practicing licences do not scam Nigerians?
It is part of why the association exists, the thing about quackery is that if you shine a light to a dark place, darkness will run away when light appears.
The reason why we have quackery is because we don’t have clarity, and people don’t have information about where to go to speak to people who are experts.
If we have expertise and people know where to go to talk to them, and there are standards, if any member goes against it he will be disciplined. If we have such professionals it becomes difficult for quacks to operate.
Many SMEs don’t last long in the country.What policy do you think the government can introduce so that SMES survive and thrive?
This is something that continues, because all of these things I mentioned to you are all part of systemic challenges that SMEs are facing.
It’s not all about the government, the government provides an environment, and for instance, security is important.
There are systemic things that happen within the SME environment and this is why we need to have BDSPs.
For SMEs to thrive they need to know how to manage the resources they have, there are SMEs which take loans and go and spend it on parting and other frivolities.
There are people who have the challenge of selling their products and services and there are those who cannot manage the associated risks in business.
These are some of the real reasons why SMEs do not survive and thrive.
The government needs to strengthen the association, it should support us because in most cases the policies are on high levels and they need an intermediary to bring it down.
Many small businesses don’t know how to write a business plan and if you don’t know how to do a business plan, how can you run the business? These are some things the BDSPs can help you do.
If a young man comes to you and says he wants to become an entrepreneur; what advice will you give that person?
If you want to become an entrepreneur, I will tell you to learn everything about the kind of business you want to go into.
You need to understand the kind of business you are trying to do, learn as much as you can and understand the business.
You should look at the environment, what kind of problems you want to solve and what are the opportunities that you have in the environment.
You need to do assessment and research on what opportunities that exist.
Look at the opportunity, is it viable? You begin to talk about a plan that will help you articulate your ideas. That plan will answer several questions; where will you raise money, where will you operate, who will you sell to, who will be your customer? Who will be your partners, and do you have the skills required, if not, where will you go and get the skill and support you need.
