The Bank of Industry (BOI) has reaffirmed its dedication to supporting Nigeria’s over 12 million artisans and technicians, recognizing them as essential drivers of inclusive economic growth and national industrial transformation.
Speaking at the 2025 Nigerian Artisans Leadership Summit held on Wednesday in Abuja, BOI Managing Director, Olasupo Olusi, emphasized that the bank views artisans not merely as workers but as catalysts for grassroots enterprise, job creation, and national development.
The summit, themed “Unlocking the Inherent Potential of Nigerian Artisans and Technicians,” brought together representatives from artisan associations, government agencies, development partners, and the private sector. Discussions focused on the challenges facing informal workers and the need to integrate them into the formal economy.
Represented by the Executive Director of Public Sector and Intervention Programmes, Mabel Ndagi, Olusi said the summit’s theme captures the spirit of inclusive growth—ensuring that no talent or skill is left behind.
He stressed the importance of building a nation where talent is not wasted for lack of support, enterprise is not held back by limited access to resources, and informal skills are not excluded from formal economic participation.
Olusi outlined the pressing challenges artisans face, including inadequate access to affordable finance, outdated equipment, poor training opportunities, weak business structures, minimal engagement in research and development, and low participation in exports.
He noted that these issues call for urgent, structured solutions.
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In response, he revealed that BOI’s 2025–2027 Corporate Strategy is anchored on six key pillars; Strengthening Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Promoting youth empowerment and skills development, Expanding opportunities in the digital economy, Advancing climate resilience and sustainability, Investing in critical infrastructure, Ensuring gender inclusion in all programs
“These pillars are not mere administrative categories,” Olusi explained. “They represent how we are reimagining our support for artisans and grassroots entrepreneurs.”
He reaffirmed the Bank of Industry mission to offer both financial and advisory support to businesses that fuel local economies and drive national progress.
“As a development finance institution, our vision is to transform Nigeria’s industrial landscape by empowering the enterprises that power the nation. At the heart of this mission are artisans and grassroots entrepreneurs like you,” he stated.
Olusi urged artisans to recognize that development cannot be outsourced or imported.
“It must be built by hand, by skill, by passion, and by purpose. That’s what artisans embody. That’s what BOI stands behind. And that’s the future we must build—together.”
The Nigerian Artisans Leadership Summit is part of BOI’s wider initiative to expand financial inclusion, foster sustainable livelihoods, and unlock the vast potential within Nigeria’s informal sector.
