Buhari Appoints Fasanya As New DG of SMEDAN

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Olawale Tunde Fasanya


President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mr Olawale Tunde Fasanya as the new Director General, Chief Executive Officer of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
His appointment which took effect from 6th June 2022 was contained in a letter dated 23rd June 2022 and signed by the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Otunba Niyi Adebayo CON.
Mr Fasanya is a seasoned technocrat and a certified Business Development Advisor with a proven track record of landmark accomplishments of thirty-five years in the MSME ecosystem in Nigeria. It is expected that he will bring to bear his wealth of experience on his new national assignment.
Mr Olawale Tunde Fasanya was born on 3rd June 1962 in Ogbomosho, Osun state, South West Nigeria.
He is a holder of the West African School Certificate, Bachelor of Arts (English and Literary Studies) from the prestigious University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University Ife in 1985, Advanced Certificate in Public Relations, Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ) Ogba Lagos 1990, Masters in Public Administration, Lagos State University Lagos 1994, Diploma In Market Oriented Small Business Development Service, International Training Centre of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Turin, Italy in 2008, and presently expecting his PhD in Public Policy Analysis and Management University of America.
Mr Fasanya did his mandatory National Youth Service with the Plateau Radio Television Corporation (PRTC) Jos, where he produced and presented a weekly Radio Programme called Plateau State Roundup between 1985 to June 1986.
He started his working career in a publishing firm, Jator Publishing Company Ibadan, Oyo State as Deputy Editor/Administrative officer.
He switched into Public Service, joining the National Productivity Centre (NPC) Abuja where he served as Productivity Officer, Senior Productivity Officer, Assistant Chief Public Relations Officer, and Chief Public Relations Officer between August 1998 to June 1999.
Mr Fasanya also served as Personal Assistant to Hon. Minister of State, Ministry of Defence between June 1999 to February 2002 and later Special Assistant to the Hon. Minister of Solid Minerals between February 2002 to May 2003.
Mr Fasanya was among those that formed the nucleus of pioneer staff of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in 2003 where he served as a Special Assistant to the Pioneer Director General/CEO of the Agency, Mrs Modupe Adelaja and was overseeing all units under the Director General’s Office as Deputy Director and Group Head, Corporate Affairs.
This dedicated and committed civil servant became the Acting Director General of SMEDAN between July to December 2008.
He was made the Group Head, Strategic Planning, Policy and Coordination between April 2009- January 2011. Mr Fasanya upon his promotion in January 2011 was appointed as Director, Strategic Planning Policy and Coordination, a position he held till October 2014 when he was promoted as Director, Enterprise Development and Promotion, unarguably the engine room of the Agency, a position he held till 2018 when he was appointed to another strategic position as Director, Policy Planning, Research Monitoring and Evaluation, a position he distinguished himself so well till his retirement from the civil service on 3rd June, 2022.
Mr Fasanya no doubt has seen it all in SMEDAN, an establishment whose concept and growth witnessed his inputs. It is therefore not a surprise that the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari found in him a good replacement for Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda who served the Agency for six years as DG/CEO.

MR FASANYA’S CORE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• He was Project Director for the implementation of the reviewed National Policy on MSMEs 2021 till date.
• Delegation Leader, Intra-African Trade Fair, Durban, South Africa November 2021.
• Project Director 1st SMEDAN Agency-Wide 2021 – 2025 Strategic Management Plan.
• Project Director, SMEDAN/NBS National Survey on MSMEs (2021)
• Delegate, 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, October 2021.
• Project Director in the review of the National Policy on MSMEs (2019-2020)
• Delegate, Global Entrepreneurship Congress, Bahrain (April 2019); Delegate, Global Entrepreneurship Congress, Istanbul, Turkey. (April 2018)
• Delegation Leader, Chinese International SME Fair (CISMEF) June 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019
• Delegation Leader, Global Expo Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana. (August 2019)
• Team Lead, Guaranteed Off-Take Scheme Project (A component of the National Economic Sustainability Plan/Survival Fund) 2020 to date
• Member, ECOWAS Committee on the production of MSMEs Development Charter for Member States (2012-2014)
• Head of Secretariat National Council on MSMEs (2011 till date)
• Project Director – One Local Government One Product Initiative (2010 – 2015)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
• International Council for Small Business (ICSB)
• Member, International Small Business Entrepreneur.
• Associate Member Nigeria, Institute of Public Relations
• Associate Member, Nigerian Institute of Management.
CERTIFICATIONS
• Post Graduate Diploma in Market Oriented Small Business (International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization ILO, Turin, Italy 2008).

• Training Of Trainers on Entrepreneurship for SMEs Development (International Center for Entrepreneurship & Career Development, Ahmadabad, India, 2007).
• International Center for Small Business Counselling Training (Acadia Center for Social & Business Entrepreneurship, Halifax, Canada, 2007)
• Training of Trainers on SME Development (Entrepreneurship Promotion Academy, Lagos 2006).
• Design & Evaluation of Innovation Policies in Developing Countries (United Nations University, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 2005)
• Productivity & Management (National Productivity Center, 1994).

PRESENTATIONS
Mr Fasanya is also credited with several presentations on MSMEs Development (Local and International)
• National Enterprise Development Programme (Programme Launch, Abuja 2012)
• Presentation of Status of MSMEs Development in Nigeria (FSS 2020 Committee Retreat September 2012)
• Presentation on MSMEs Competitiveness in Nigeria (Singapore Cooperation Programme Training Award, Singapore, January 2012)
• Presentation on SME Policies & Development Strategy in Nigeria (2nd OECD Ministerial Conference on SMEs, Istanbul, Turkey, June 2004)
• Investment Opportunities in The Nigeria MSMEs Sector, Johannesburg, South Africa, July 2008 among several others.
Mr Fasanya is happily married with three lovely children.

Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed
Deputy Director/Head, Corporate Affairs Unit

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