Vice-President Kashim Shettima, on Thursday inaugurated the Board of Directors of the National Credit Guarantee Company Ltd (NCGC).
While inaugurating the board at the Presidential Villa Abuja, he implored its members to deepen financial inclusion and stimulate Nigeria’s grassroots economy.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the board is designed to serve as a financial backbone for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) struggling with access to affordable credit.
President Bola Tinubu had on May 29, 2025, announced the establishment of the company and also approved the appointment of its board and management team.
Tinubu appointed former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, as Chairman of the NCGC Board, while Mr Bonaventure Okhaimo was appointed the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
Shettima said the establishment of NCGC represents the government’s commitment to bridging the financing gap that has long plagued MSMEs across the country.
“This is our response to a stubborn challenge that has stifled our economic potential for decades – access to finance -.
“These entrepreneurs do not ask for handouts; they ask for the credibility of their ideas to be matched by the confidence of our financial institutions.”
He described the NCGC as “a critical engine in our pursuit of economic inclusion and sustainable growth.”
Shettima explained that the company will serve as a vital bridge between entrepreneurs and financial institutions, providing the trust needed for small businesses to secure loans.
He cited instances of farmers, traders, artisans, and tech entrepreneurs across the country who, despite being productive, are often stranded due to lack of collateral or guarantees.
”NCGC is that bridge, when a farmer in Ibadan needs a loan to expand her cocoa farm, when a tech start-up in Abuja needs working capital to scale.
”It is the assurance that the system will not fail them, when a leather artisan in Kano seeks to mechanise his craft, and when a trader in Onitsha needs capital to expand.
”It is a promise that productive Nigerians will not be stranded for want of guarantees,” the Vice President said.
Shettima urged the newly inaugurated board to combine “prudence with courage, accountability with ambition,” as they translate national policy into impact.
”This is a call to deploy your diverse expertise not only as overseers but as enablers of transformation.
”The new board’s leadership is important in unlocking capital for Nigeria’s most enterprising but underserved sectors.
“On behalf of His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, and the Federal Government of Nigeria, I hereby declare the Board of Directors of the National Credit Guarantee Company Ltd. duly inaugurated,” he stated.
Earlier, Dogara thanked President Tinubu for the bold and courageous leadership he is providing for the country.
“The establishment of NCGC is an attempt to give vent to our democracy to deliver on its promise.
“As it is said, the promise of democracy is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
“You can be alive and may enjoy all the rights, but if you don’t have the means with which to pursue happiness, you are excluded from the promise of democracy.
”Our democracy must deliver not just political and individual rights, but economic opportunities,” he said.
Dr. Olasupo Olusi, the Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BOI) and member of the board, said the establishment of the board reflects the administration’s unwavering commitment to removing structural barriers.
“This milestone is a result of dedicated hard work by a coalition of partners like BOI, Ministry of Finance Incorporated, Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and the World Bank.
”They have all worked closely together under the direction of the Presidential Committee,” he said.
Other members of the board include Mrs Tinoula Aigwedo, Executive Director of Strategy and Operations; Dr Ezekiel Oseni, Executive Director, Risk Management; and Ms Yeside Kazeem, Independent Non-Executive Director.
