Global technology company Zoho has partnered with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to provide up to N20 billion in wallet credits to support digital adoption among 25,000 eligible Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Under the partnership, participating businesses will gain access to Zoho’s suite of more than 60 cloud-based applications, including accounting, customer relationship management (CRM), business email and collaboration tools.
The initiative will also provide beneficiaries with training, workshops, one-on-one business consultations and technical support to help them effectively integrate digital solutions into their operations.
According to Zoho, the programme is designed to reduce the cost and other barriers limiting Nigerian MSMEs’ access to affordable and scalable cloud technology.
The partnership combines SMEDAN’s mandate and extensive reach within Nigeria’s MSME sector with Zoho’s portfolio of business technology solutions.
The initiative supports SMEDAN’s GROW Nigerian strategy, which focuses on business formalisation, access to finance and markets, productivity and digital adoption.
SMEDAN Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Charles Odii, said the agency’s goal was to help small businesses move from survival to sustainable growth.
“Digital capability is now an important part of that journey, and this partnership with Zoho gives thousands of MSMEs within our ecosystem another practical pathway to strengthen how they operate and grow,” he said.
Country Head of Zoho Nigeria, Kehinde Ogundare, said technology could play a major role in improving the performance of MSMEs if businesses could access and effectively use digital tools.
He said the partnership would lower the barriers to adopting business technology while providing entrepreneurs with the training and support needed to improve efficiency and expand their businesses.
Beneficiaries will be able to use the Zoho Wallet Credits for applications including Zoho Workplace, Bigin by Zoho CRM and Zoho Books, depending on their business needs.
Zoho and SMEDAN will jointly manage the programme, including outreach to eligible businesses and monitoring adoption and impact.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s MSME ecosystem through digitalisation, improved productivity and greater access to business opportunities.
