The payment of N30, 000 one-time grants to 330,000 artisans under the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) has begun in 12 states of the federation including the FCT.
Spokesman for the vice president, Mr. Laolu Akande disclosed this in a press statement yesterday.
He said the payments are being made to sets of verified beneficiaries of the Artisan Support Scheme (ASS), a track under the MSMEs Survival Fund.
He said in the first stream of payments which started yesterday, the beneficiaries were drawn from Lagos, Ondo, Kaduna, Borno, Kano, Bauchi, Anambra, Abia, Rivers, Plateau Delta states and the FCT.
They form the first batch of applications for the scheme submitted between October 1 and October 10.
Akande said the enumeration for the second stream of states under the ASS had also commenced with enumerators in various states compiling the lists of artisans through their association leaders.
He said all artisans are expected to liaise with their association leaders to document their details.
“The registration of applicants for Stream 2 began on the 19th October 2020.
“States under Stream 2 are: Edo, Ogun, Ekiti, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Enugu, Ebonyi, Adamawa, Taraba, Bayelsa.
“In the same vein, enumeration and verification of the documents of applicants under the Survival Fund Payroll Support scheme is still ongoing. Dates for the commencement of payment would be announced in due course.
“The application process for the payroll support scheme, which began on September 21, had ended on the 15th of October 2020. Accepted applications are categorized by industry sectors, including Education and Hospitality, among other sectors.
“However, there may be an extension for applications for some States that have not met their quota on beneficiaries. The Artisan Support Scheme is to benefit about 9,000 Nigerians per State and FCT.
“In addition, the formalization support under the MSME Survival Fund will also commence today. This involves free business names’ registration for 250,000 MSMEs nationwide by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
He said the CAC will register 6,606 business names in each of the 34 states for free.
In Abuja, there would be 7,906 free registrations, 9,084 in Lagos and 8,406 free business names from Kano.
Akande also stated that a date for the commencement of the Guaranteed Off-take Scheme under the Survival Fund will be announced soon.
“This scheme is designed to safeguard existing small businesses and save jobs, while ensuring continued local production by guaranteeing off-take of priority products
“The Off-take Scheme is a track specifically for MSMEs that are into production of items approved by the Steering Committee of the Survival Fund coordinated under the leadership of the industry, trade and investment minister of state Ambassador Mariam Katagum,” said Akande.
He added that the basic requirements include CAC certificate, valid BVN, SON or NAFDAC certification.
The N2.3 Trillion Economic Sustainability Plan consists of fiscal, monetary and sectoral measures to enhance local production, support businesses, retain, create jobs and provide succour to Nigerians, especially the most vulnerable.
