By Tolu Bankole
In many parts of Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State, many small businesses have traditionally operated at the margins of the formal economy, unregistered, under-capitalised and vulnerable to daily economic shocks. For years, traders and micro-entrepreneurs relied largely on informal structures, limiting their access to financial services, expansion opportunities and long-term stability.
About a year ago, the Toyin Amuzu Foundation (TAF) set out to alter that reality. Through a structured empowerment programme, the foundation registered 100 small businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), providing beneficiaries with formal business identities and complementary support aimed at improving sustainability and growth.
The initiative was genuine and was championed by Chief Toyin Amuzu, an entrepreneur, estate developer, Egba chief and chieftain of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), who described the programme as a non-profit, non-governmental and non-political intervention focused on improving livelihoods and stimulating grassroots economic activities within Egbaland.
Findings from visits to several beneficiary locations across Abeokuta South suggest that the intervention has yielded tangible results.
Mrs. Motunrayo Dada, one of the beneficiaries, now operates a registered business supported with a POS machine, a kiosk and initial cash assistance provided by the foundation. According to her, the formalisation of her business has increased customer confidence, improved daily turnover and given her operation a sense of permanence previously lacking.
Beyond individual accounts, physical observation at beneficiary locations reveals a pattern of gradual but consistent growth.
At Kehinde Olabisi’s kiosk, the impact of the programme is particularly visible. What started as a modest POS-based business has expanded to include the sale of clothing items, a diversification that has significantly boosted income and strengthened business resilience.
In another location, Madam Taiwo Osuntoyinbo, already a known trader before the intervention, has experienced noticeable improvement in sales volume and customer reach. Observers note that while her business was stable prior to the programme, access to financial tools and formal registration has enhanced its scale and efficiency.
For Onifade Olusola, whose operation is limited to POS services, the progress has been steady. Though maintaining a single line of business, he has recorded increased patronage and improved earnings, pointing to the value of formalisation and access to modern payment systems.
Several other beneficiaries out of the 100, including Madam Basirat Oyebo, Azisat Raji, Madam Adijat Kushimo, Suliat Abolade, Ganiyat Idowu, among others also expressed appreciation for the foundation’s intervention. Many noted that CAC registration, combined with POS access, has helped reposition their businesses, attract new customers and improve daily cash flow.
Speaking on the initiative, Chief Amuzu said the foundation’s focus on entrepreneurship stems from the belief that small and medium-scale enterprises remain critical to economic stability and job creation.
He added that the business registration drive is part of a broader set of interventions by the Toyin Amuzu Foundation, which include free interest loans for entrepreneurs, youth and women empowerment programmes, community water projects and other socio-economic initiatives.
According to him, the goal is not merely to provide temporary assistance but to create pathways for long-term sustainability, enabling beneficiaries to move from informal survival businesses to structured enterprises capable of growth and expansion.
Economic observers note that initiatives such as this assume greater relevance at a time when national economic pressures continue to affect household incomes and small enterprises. By focusing on practical support formal registration, access to financial tools and basic infrastructure, the Toyin Amuzu Foundation’s approach demonstrates how private-sector-led interventions can complement public efforts at economic development.
As the beneficiaries continue to build on the foundation laid by the programme, the initiative offers a compelling example of how targeted grassroots empowerment can translate into measurable outcomes, turning informal hustle into structured enterprise and renewed economic hope across communities in Abeokuta South.
Tolu Bankole writes from Ake, in Abeokuta South Local Government area of Ogun State.
