Business
Made-in-Plateau Carnival Debuts as GIZ Pushes Green, Circular Economy for 6,000 MSMEs
The Made-in-Plateau Business Carnival entered its second day on Wednesday with massive turnout at the Solomon Lar Amusement Park, Jos, as thousands of residents trooped in to patronize locally made products sold at highly subsidised festive-season prices.
The five-day event, which runs from December 2–6, is themed “Strengthening the Plateau MSMEs Ecosystem through Synergies and Eco-smart Entrepreneurship.”
Organised in partnership with the Plateau State Government, GIZ, SMEDAN, PLASMIDA, the University of Jos, Plateau State Polytechnic, and several regulatory and financial institutions, the carnival features a one-stop marketplace, exhibitions, trainings, and—for the first time ever on the Plateau—a Made-in-Plateau Deal Room where MSMEs pitch directly to investors.
GIZ: ‘We Have Trained 6,000 MSMEs on Green and Circular Economy’
Speaking at the carnival, Manbyen Daki, Business Development Service Expert for GIZ Plateau State, said the initiative marks a new phase in the state’s MSME development.
“We have trained over 6,000 MSMEs in Plateau to change their mindset from the traditional way of doing business to incorporating the green and circular economy,” she said.
Daki explained that the carnival brings together entrepreneurs, financial institutions and regulatory agencies such as NAFDAC, SON and CAC to create seamless access to markets, business registration and funding at subsidised rates.
She described the newly introduced Deal Room as a major innovation:
“This has never happened before—a deal room where angel investors, impact investors and MSMEs sit together. Entrepreneurs pitch, investors feel the fabrics, taste the coffee, see prototypes, and decide on-the-spot who to support. This is Made-in-Plateau 1.0.”
She added that GIZ’s core work is capacity building, job creation and ensuring that the MSME ecosystem on the Plateau becomes strong enough to scale beyond state borders.
Entrepreneurs Showcase Innovation, Culture and Circular Creativity
The carnival also featured a rich display of products, including food items, skincare, organic products, indigenous fabrics, small chops, artworks, and crafts made from everyday waste.
Kim’s Coffee — Pitching for Scale-Up
Dung Davidai, Co-founder of Kim’s Coffee Nigeria Ltd, said the event provides a rare opportunity for small businesses to access real investors.
“It’s my first pitching experience, but it’s a learning curve. Opportunities like these don’t come every day, so I’m here to showcase what we do and how we plan to scale,” he said.
Atili Crafts — Turning a Plateau Treasure Into Wealth
Mrs. Kunna Eframe showcased her unique line of crafts made from Atili seeds, which are commonly found across Plateau communities.
She explained that her team converts the seeds—often left to waste on the ground—into jewelry, jackets symbolizing bravery, cultural instruments, and key holders, representing multiple Plateau tribes.
“Every Plateau tribe uses this instrument. We added colour and design to make it more attractive and culturally expressive,” she said.
Agro-Processing and Natural Products
Agro-processor Alan Prince displayed food products such as amora, sesame, honey, and other processed foods, alongside natural skincare and cleaning products produced by his partner.
He commended the turnout and the support from government and partners.
“Sales have been encouraging for the season. We thank the governor and all agencies that made this program possible,” he said.
Waste-to-Wealth Arts by Enara Works
Stella Enara-Joseph, a lawyer and founder of Enara Works and Designs, showcased a wide range of recycled art pieces.
From photo frames made of broken necklaces, to masks made from raffia, wood scraps, kitchen waste, and bottle covers, her work highlights environmental sustainability.
“Everything we make is from waste. Instead of burning waste and harming the environment, we upgrade it into beautiful home items and artwork,” she explained.
A One-Stop Festival of Creativity and Affordable Shopping
Visitors at the carnival enjoyed access to diverse indigenous products at discounted prices, making shopping easier ahead of the December festivities.
Financial institutions offered MSME-friendly loan packages, while regulators provided on-site business registration and certification at subsidised rates.
The carnival continues until December 6, with organisers assuring the public that even bigger exhibitions, pitching sessions and sales await.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is rolling out V-Pass, a biometric identity verification system designed to make domestic air travel faster, safer and more seamless.
Developed in partnership with M/S Verxid Technologies Limited, the system will let passengers confirm their identities through facial recognition, reducing the need to rely on physical ID documents at airports.
The rollout was reviewed during a strategic meeting between FAAN and Verxid Technologies Limited, where both sides discussed deployment plans, security measures and ways to improve the passenger experience.
FAAN said the initiative shows its commitment to using technology to improve passenger facilitation and aviation security across domestic airports. V-Pass will give travellers a secure digital identity through a one-time enrolment process.
Nigerian passengers will register with their NIN and facial biometric capture, while foreign passengers will enrol using international passports through OCR and biometric authentication. The system will check passengers before they enter restricted areas and again before boarding.
This dual-verification process is meant to prevent impersonation, unauthorized access and identity fraud, while giving security agencies greater confidence in passenger authentication. During rollout, passengers will be able to use self-service kiosks or get help from FAAN staff.
E-Gates will automate access to controlled areas, reduce queues and improve passenger flow. Developers say biometric processing will take less than 30 seconds after enrolment, while first-time registration will take about one minute. V-Pass will also give airlines secure access to flight schedules, passenger manifests and boarding statistics through a digital platform.
FAAN will benefit from a Central Management System that tracks passenger movement, generates analytics and supports future integration with other airport systems. FAAN and Verxid said data privacy remains central to the project.
READ ALSO: FAAN defends airport cab tariff hike amid protest against vehicle upgrade policy
The system complies with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), and passenger data will not be stored on kiosks or handheld devices. Before deployment, FAAN and Verxid plan to launch a nationwide sensitisation campaign.
The campaign will run across TV, radio, social media, airport announcements and airline advisories to help passengers understand how V-Pass works. A live Proof of Concept demonstration and technical site assessment will also be carried out before full rollout
FAAN says V-Pass is part of its broader digital transformation agenda. By combining biometric technology with modern access control, FAAN hopes to build a smarter, safer and more efficient airport system for domestic travellers.
BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR—Mrs. Yetunde Ilori, the outgoing President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), has stated that her greatest fulfillment after two years in office is successfully elevating insurance literacy into a national conversation.
This milestone was achieved through targeted initiatives that reached children, students, professionals, and various communities across Nigeria.
Speaking at her valedictory virtual press conference marking the end of her tenure as CIIN’s 52nd President, Ilori reflected on her administration’s key achievements.
She described her leadership journey as one driven by a steadfast commitment to expanding insurance education, strengthening professionalism, building capacity, and fostering deeper industry collaboration.
She expressed deep gratitude to the media for their unwavering support in publicizing the institute’s programs, noting that journalists played a vital role in boosting insurance awareness and enhancing public understanding of the sector’s economic importance.
“I came into office with a clear intention to make a difference,” Ilori said. “Leadership should always be measured by the impact it creates and the legacy it leaves behind.”
Ilori explained that her administration was guided by the EPIC agenda—focused on Education, Professionalism, Institutional and Individual Recognition, and Capacity Building. This strategic framework served as the foundation for the institute’s major initiatives over the past two years.
Key Milestones of the EPIC Administration
Nationwide Advocacy: A defining achievement of her tenure was expanding “Insurance Week” into a nationwide campaign. The initiative took advocacy beyond traditional industry circles and directly into local markets, schools, universities, and public spaces.
Early Childhood Education: To nurture financial literacy from an early age, the CIIN published two introductory books simplified for children aged 4–10 and 11–16, making insurance concepts accessible and relatable.
Youth & Tech Innovation: To foster innovation, the institute promoted youth participation through a specialized Hackathon, bringing together students, tech experts, and insurance practitioners to develop digital solutions for the sector.
The Million-Youth Project: Ilori highlighted a landmark partnership with the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development. This digital learning initiative aims to train one million Nigerian youths in insurance and financial literacy, equipping them with the skills to pursue careers in insurance, entrepreneurship, and sound financial planning.
She also praised the strengthened collaboration among insurers, regulators, and professional bodies, noting that these collective efforts contributed to major industry reforms, including supporting the progress of the new insurance bill.
Beyond domestic policy reforms, the CIIN under her leadership expanded its reach to Nigerian insurance professionals in the diaspora, upgraded facilities at the College of Insurance, and enhanced career development through directors’ conferences, specialized training, and student internship opportunities.
Ilori emphasized that the successes of her tenure were the result of industry-wide teamwork rather than individual effort.
“As I leave office, my desire is for this stakeholder collaboration to continue,” she concluded. “It is not about any single individual; it is about the institution and the sustainable growth of the Nigerian insurance industry.”
The post How Yetunde Ilori Made Insurance Literacy a National Conversation appeared first on Business Today NG.
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