The 5th Edition of the Niger Delta Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Summit is set to take place in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, with a remarkable gathering of prominent Niger Delta Stakeholders across government, development institutions and the private sector.
Scheduled for December 9, 2025 at PEE’s Hub Event Place in Yenagoa, the summit which is an initiative of the Niger Delta Young Professionals (NDYP), will run from 10am to 4pm and is expected to draw over 1,000 young professionals and business owners from across the oil-rich region.
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, headlines the heavyweights as Chief Host of the event, while the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, will attend as Guest of Honour. Also expected as Special Guests are Usoro Akpabio, Managing Director of the South South Development Commission (SSDC); Dr. Olasupo Olusi, Managing Director of the Bank of Industry; Ayodeji Sotinrin, Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture; and multi-industry business leader, George Omoraro.
The summit hosted and founded by Pan-African entrepreneur and media personality, Moses Siloko Siasia, who doubles as Chairman of Mosilo Group and Heritage Times HT, has touched lives of thousands of small business owners, providing them with opportunities, grants, access to funding, mentorship and strategic business linkages. The initiative, has grown into one of the region’s most impactful platforms for entrepreneurship development, despite the persistent challenges posed by government bureaucracy, poor management of small businesses, high-interest bank loans, corruption and inadequate infrastructure.
According to Siasia, this year’s theme, ‘Enhancing The Role Of MSMEs As Drivers Of Sustainable Growth And Innovation,’ underscores the growing importance of small businesses in shaping the region’s future. The organizers say the summit has, over time, helped bridge gaps in youth unemployment and economic exclusion by enabling MSMEs to expand, create jobs and contribute meaningfully to local economies. At the inaugural edition in 2021, for instance, more than 400 participants benefited from the NIRSAL Intervention Loan in agricultural enterprises, while the NDYP provided grants to several innovative ventures.
The Bayelsa-born media personality in a statement at the weekend, emphasized that the Niger Delta Region must brace for a future beyond crude oil, to innovative and sustainable solutions to improve livelihoods, insisting that the region stands to gain more from emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, agriculture, renewable energy, information technology and the broader knowledge economy. By focusing on these areas, he believes MSMEs can play a central role in driving prosperity and sustainable development across the region.
The 5th Niger Delta MSME Summit will feature a full day of exhibitions, keynote addresses, panel conversations, mentorship engagements, business-to-business interactions and networking opportunities designed to expand the capacity of young entrepreneurs. Participation will be strictly through registration and invitation, with attendees expected to fall within the age bracket of 20 to 45 years.
Organizers reaffirm that this year’s summit represents yet another significant step toward creating a more inclusive, innovative and economically vibrant Niger Delta, driven by empowered small business owners who are ready to shape the region’s future.
