Arc. Omigbodun Visits Osogbo Market Traders to Discuss Access to Finance

Arc. Goke Omigbodun spent time walking through Osogbo’s central market this week, speaking directly with traders about the everyday challenges of running a small business in the district — chief among them, access to affordable financing.

Several traders raised concerns about the difficulty of securing loans without collateral, and the high interest rates that make expansion nearly impossible for micro and small enterprises. Arc. Omigbodun listened to individual stories from textile sellers, food vendors, and artisans before outlining his enterprise agenda, which includes advocating for improved access to finance for small and medium-scale enterprises across Osun Central.

“These are the people actually creating jobs in this district, one stall and one apprentice at a time,” he said. “If we’re serious about job creation, we have to start by removing the barriers already stopping the people doing it themselves.”

He also discussed plans to encourage agro-processing and value-addition for local farm produce, noting that many traders in the market source directly from farmers in surrounding communities, and that strengthening that supply chain benefits both groups.

The campaign says similar market visits will continue across Ede, Egbedore, and other LGAs in the coming weeks.