From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday unveiled the Renewed Hope Enterprise Bridge Initiative, a dedicated platform aimed at fostering ongoing dialogue between the federal government and Nigerian entrepreneurs to align policies with real-world business challenges.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the launch event and website rollout at Abuja’s State House Conference Centre, President Tinubu highlighted a longstanding “quiet disconnect” between policymakers and business owners who grapple with daily implementation. “One side works with frameworks and projections, the other with immediacy and risk. Bringing both into the same room is not symbolic—it is necessary,” he said.
The President emphasised that effective policies must draw from entrepreneurs’ lived experiences, praising their resilience amid tough conditions. “You persist. You build. You employ. You adapt. That contribution is not lost on us,” Tinubu stated, assuring continued engagement, policy adjustments, and real improvements in business start-up, growth, and competition. He positioned the initiative as an enduring channel, not a one-off event, under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Earlier, the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, spotlighted the creative and digital sectors’ potential to deliver high returns, attract foreign investment, and drive entrepreneurship. She noted the administration’s efforts to bolster infrastructure and policy frameworks to rebuild investor confidence.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Entrepreneurship Development, Chalya Shagaya, opened the event, themed “Hustle Meets Policy”, underscoring Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to job creators and innovators as Nigeria eyes a trillion-dollar economy. Reforms are underway to simplify compliance, expand finance access via institutions like the Bank of Industry, and prioritise inclusion, she said. “This is not a one-time engagement. It marks the beginning of a more open, responsive, and collaborative approach.”
Shagaya also acknowledged Vice President Kashim Shettima’s support for enterprise growth, along with Gbajabiamila and Deputy Chief of Staff Senator Hassan Ibrahim Hadejia.
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