To cushion the effect of COVID-19 on small and medium businesses, especially with the second wave of the pandemic, a media and tech organisation in Lagos, Pop Central TV, has empowered businesses with free advertising grants on its station.
According to the station’s Chief Executive Officer, Yinka Obebe, COVID-19 has created challenges for SMEs, which was why Pop Central TV introduced the SME Ad Grant to support small businesses in Nigeria, with free advertising slots on its DSTV Channel 189.
“COVID–19 is not just a health crisis. The pandemic has put millions of SMEs at the risk of being forced out of business in Nigeria. SMEs and their workers have been hit hardest.
They face the crisis of trying to survive daily. While the Nigerian government and multinationals are taking steps to minimise the harsh effects of Coronavirus on businesses, much more is needed from privately owned indigenous companies, as well as supporting SMEs.”
Obebe said the SME Ad Grant aimed at giving better visibility in Nigeria and across Africa for their products and services, as they navigate through the current pandemic. “Pop Central is partnering with Faya, an Adtech company that unifies trade media advert inventory, to disburse grant to SMEs.
“About N388m worth of free advert grant would be made possible to verified SMEs that have been duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria.”

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