FG to Commence Disbursement of N75 Billion Survival Fund to MSMEs

The Federal Government to commence the disbursement of N75 billion COVID-19 support fund to successful Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) that applied for financial support under the National MSME Survival Fund this week.

On September 10, 2020, the Federal Government announced the introduction of two financial support schemes to support around 1.7 million small businesses with N75 billion.

According to Tola Adekunle, the Special Assistant to the President on MSMEs, Office of the Vice President, who doubles as Project Coordinator, Survival Funds Scheme, payment disbursement to some of the beneficiaries of the schemes would commence this week.

He said, “Presently we are doing it in batches of 12 states to be able to monitor the scheme and as we speak now 12 states are ready. We are hoping that by the end of this week, we will be able to pay 12 states.

“We are starting with the artisans and it is 4,500 persons per state, plus 4,500 for transporters, bringing it to about 9,000 for each state. Right now, we have about 54,000 from 12 states.”

Asked by journalists when those on payroll support would start receiving payments, he said “By the end of this month.

“We want to ensure that the staff start getting their salaries and same for the second and third month.”

Adekunle explained that payroll support which was introduced under the survival fund to help businesses that employed between 10 to 50 people, will ensure 10 of the 50 employees are paid between N30,000 to N50,000 depending on their salaries. Payment, he said would commence by the ending of this month.

He said, “We now pay 10 of those people from among the 50 employees and we pay them between N30,000 and N50,000.

“But the minimum we pay is three staffs for three months to support their businesses and to ensure that we are helping businesses to augment their salaries.”

He, however, said the program ended on October 15 but states that were yet to meet their quotas were demanding extension. A demand he said was valid given that only less than 20 states have met their quotas.

“In my own opinion, it is valid but the decision lies in the hands of the committee and the project coordinator so I have to convince them based on data analysis,” he said.

Speaking on the total number of applicants for the payroll support, Adekunle said, “As at the day it closed, we had about 432,000 businesses that had applied. However, we have shortlisted less than 70,000 businesses that qualify and meet the requirements.”