SMEDAN, Zoho launch N20 billion wallet credit for 25,000 SMEs

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has partnered with global technology company Zoho to provide 25,000 Nigerian SMEs with wallet credits worth up to N20 billion. The programme gives eligible businesses access to over 60 Zoho cloud-based applications for accounting, customer management, communication and other core operations.

The initiative directly tackles the high cost of digital tools that many Nigerian entrepreneurs face. Instead of buying separate software, businesses in the SMEDAN ecosystem can use the wallet credit to run their operations on Zoho's platform.

What the programme offers

Participating businesses can access Zoho Workplace for business email and collaboration, Bigin by Zoho CRM for customer and sales pipeline management, and Zoho Books for cloud-based accounting. The aim is to help SMEs move away from spreadsheets, paper records and disconnected applications into one digital environment.

SMEDAN and Zoho said the programme will also include training sessions, workshops, one-on-one business consultations and ongoing technical support. This is meant to ensure that businesses do not just receive software, but can actually use it effectively.

Officials speak on the partnership

Zoho Nigeria Country Head, Kehinde Ogundare, said technology would only deliver its full value when businesses could access and effectively deploy it to solve their operational challenges. SMEDAN Director-General Charles Odii said the agency's priority was to help small businesses move beyond survival towards sustainable growth and prosperity.

The initiative fits into SMEDAN's GROW Nigerian strategy, which focuses on formalisation, access to finance and markets, productivity and digital adoption.

Broader SME support effort

The digital support comes alongside other SMEDAN programmes. The agency is working with the Corporate Affairs Commission to facilitate the free registration of 250,000 businesses, according to a report by Leadership. SMEDAN has also opened applications for its Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS), offering eligible nano and micro businesses a non-repayable grant of N50,000.

For Nigerian SMEs, the Zoho partnership lowers the cost of adopting professional digital tools. Businesses that manage their finances, customers and daily operations more effectively stand a better chance of growing in an increasingly digital marketplace. The programme also supports formalisation, helping small businesses build more organised and scalable operations.