Some entrepreneurs who participated in the 8th National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Clinic in Calabar Cross River Capital have raised concerns over the Federal Government’s failure to disburse the ₦250,000 grant promised to them during the event.
The clinic, held on August 12, 2025, at the Calabar International Convention Centre (CICC), was part of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda to support small businesses.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who attended the event, had announced that selected businesses would receive ₦250,000 each to boost their operations.
However, weeks after the event, many exhibitors say they are yet to receive the promised support.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, several participants claimed they were led to believe that all exhibitors would benefit from the grant, prompting them to spend personal resources on branding, packaging, logistics, and booth preparation.
A participant who preferred animosity said participants were told to undergo training, upgrade their branding, and prepare for official inspection.
“I spent money on labels, stickers, and packaging. We were told to make our booths look attractive. But on the event day, the Vice President only walked past the red-carpeted area and didn’t reach the rest of us,” he said.
“Now they say only ‘unique businesses’ were picked. We were never told there would be a selection process.”
Omini Iyesu who runs natural Products, a fresh juice company, echoed similar frustrations. She said she spent over ₦150,000 on transportation, production, and packaging for the exhibition. Despite submitting her account details as requested, she has not received any payment.
“Some people got alerts after the event, but most of us didn’t. Later we were told the VP’s team took over the payment process. We’ve been left confused,” she said.
She also criticised the event’s structure, saying many exhibitors were placed in isolated halls with little foot traffic.
“It felt like a showcase, not a real exhibition. We made no sales, got no grants, and now even the WhatsApp group has been locked. Only the admin can post,” she added.
When contacted for comments, Great Ogban, Director-General of the Cross River State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (MEDA), clarified that only 30 businesses were selected for the ₦250,000 grant based on recommendations from the Vice President’s delegation.
“The Vice President announced that unique businesses would be selected. His team moved around, identified those businesses, and forwarded the list. MEDA only verified the list. We didn’t select or disburse the funds,” he explained.
Ogban added that all participants received booths free of charge and that MEDA fulfilled its responsibilities in hosting the event.
