By Dipo Awojide
A couple of months ago, I criticised the Osun State Government for not paying maximum attention to investment promotion and job creation across the state. I had probed and tried to understand why several sectors were moving at such a slow pace, and others completely static.
Over the years, I have followed the policies and programmes in other states across Nigeria. Infact, I have been an active participant, delivering speeches and trainings in Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Abuja, Nasarawa, and Enugu.
Although this is public information, I must note it here for every Osun citizen, so we begin to appreciate what we are missing. The under-listed states have established the following agencies tasked with attracting meaningful investment as well as creating decent jobs for the populace.
•Lagos – The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF)
•Edo – The Edo State Skills Development Agency
•Nasarawa – Nasarawa Investment & Development Agency (NASIDA)
•Ekiti – Ekiti State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (EKDIPA)
•Kaduna – Kaduna State Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA)
•Enugu – Enugu State SME Centre
•Ogun State – Ogun ICT/Tech Hub
•Ekiti – Ekiti State ICT/MSME Hub
The Agencies listed above are all actively delivering benefits for the populace in their respective states. As such, my criticism of the Osun State Government was to inspire action. I had urged Governor Ademola Adeleke to consider allocating significant funding towards agencies that will promote investment, MSMEs, and tourism, as such help to create jobs for our young citizens.
Although there is an Osun Investment Promotion Agency working closely with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry their performance has been below par and this could be attributed to the lack of political will and the seriousness required to move the needle.
We know that over 60% of Nigeria’s population is under 30. This is a demographic advantage that can drive innovation, productivity, and longterm growth. Young people across Nigeria are not beneficiaries, but partners in development.
This should be the case in Osun, a state with millions of young people, but it is not. Below, I itemise some of what Osun State citizens are missing out on:
•Policies and programmes that significantly promote and attract investment
•Policies and programmes that reduce barriers for young entrepreneurs (for example, simplified business registration, tax incentives, improved visibility, access to markets, etc.)
•Largescale investment in digital skills, vocational training, and technical education
•Significant partnerships with private sector players to deliver training and mentorship in tech, agriculture, and the creative industries
•Access to finance and startup capital
I should conclude by noting that currently, MSMEs account for most jobs in Nigeria, and development is a collective effort. As such, the Osun State Government is expected to position itself as a catalyst and drivers of the transformation that would take Osun to the next level in terms of attracting investments and creating decent jobs for our young people.
One would have expected that with all the funds that the Osun state government have received since 2022, there would have been an establishment of a youth innovation fund, microcredit schemes for young entrepreneurs, grants for early stage businesses, and significant drive to attract investment into Osun. But this is not the case.
Unfortunately, Governor Ademola Adeleke does not appear to be the leader to provide these solutions. I say so because he has not demonstrated the capacity and the seriousness required to move the needle. I doubt that will change going forward.
Dr Dipo Awojide, a Chartered Management Consultant leading Operational and Process Improvements in the UK Defence & Security Industry, is from Ayedaade Local Government, Osun state.
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