Small business owners and artisans who participated in the 8th National MSME Clinic in Calabar are raising concerns over the Federal Government’s failure to fulfill a promised N250,000 grant.
During his one-day working visit to Cross River State on August 12, 2025, Vice President Kashim Shettima toured the exhibition stands and ordered immediate disbursement of the support funds to exhibitors in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
However, weeks later, many participants say they have yet to receive the funds, with only a few confirmed beneficiaries. Several exhibitors allege they were misled into believing all participants would benefit, leading many to incur debts in preparation for the clinic.
Lawrence Akomaye, a shoemaker and CEO of Akumaye’s Global Conglomerate, said organisers had instructed them to rebrand and invest in packaging for better visibility.
“I borrowed for labels, stickers, and packaging. We were told to make our stands appealing. But on the event day, the Vice President barely visited some sections. Afterwards, they claimed only ‘unique businesses’ were chosen, which was never communicated,” Akomaye said.
Mrs. Kuku Oden, a juice producer, also lamented that she spent more than N150,000 on logistics and packaging, yet has not been reimbursed or credited.
“Some got alerts after the program, but the majority didn’t. Later we heard the VP’s office had taken over the disbursement process. The whole thing was confusing,” she said, describing the event’s organisation as poor, with exhibitors scattered across different halls.
Other participants expressed frustration that the WhatsApp platform created for coordination was later locked, cutting them off from updates or a channel to raise complaints.
“They treated us like we were insignificant,” said exhibitor Rosemary Kekong. “We invested our resources, showcased our products, and got nothing. Meanwhile, people who were not even exhibitors received payments.”
