The department is a core department of the Agency that drives the mission of the agency. It encourages and promotes access to those resources required for MSMEs growth and development. The department directly interfaces with the SMEs to establish a structure and efficient enterprises that is sustainable and would ultimately result to economic growth. Major activities of the department are to stimulate the development of MSMEs via the use of various tools.  Promote and facilitate development programmes, instruments and support services to accelerate the development and modernization of MSME operations. Initiate an implement platform as stated in the Act establishing the Agency and its National Policy serving as vanguard and focal point for rural industrialization, poverty alleviation, eradication, technology acquisition and adaptation, job creation and sustainable livelihood. Promote and facilitate development programmes, instruments and support services to accelerate development, modernisation, networking and linkage of small and medium scale livelihood. Link SMEs to internal and external sources of finances, appropriate skills and linkages to large enterprises. Promote information dissemination and provide access to industrial infrastructure such as layouts, incubators and industrial parks, Initiate and implement capacity building programmes and promotional services for SMEs. Design, package and promote cottage micro, small and medium scale industrial projects.  Establish liaison between research institutes, local fabricators and small scale industries. Provide necessary assistance to small and medium scale enterprises in the marketing of their product. Establish Business support centres (BSCs) to provide services that affect enterprise growth, provide mentoring and professional services such as accounting, bookkeeping, financing and general business consultation. Encourage and promote strategic linkages within small and medium scale enterprises and between small, medium and large enterprises by creating and following up platforms to network relevant institutions that affect the SMEs growth. Lastly the listing of product of small and medium scale enterprises that have substantial internal capacities to manufacture, to meet domestic market for federal government’s patronage and deletion or restriction on the schedule of importable goods.

The Enterprise Development & Promotions department major activities areas, are as below:

• Information and Advisory Services; including sensitization and needs assessment providing basis for attitudinal changes and effective business decisions
• Business Development Service (BDS)- embracing training, counselling, sensitisation and mentoring – providing the platform for MSMEs to see themselves as players in a globalized environment
• Enterprise Linkages, Cooperation & Clustering – to stimulate international competitiveness (working with existing and prospective)
• Advocacy and other Operating Environment Issues
• Others