The Federal Government in furtherance of its commitment to support small businesses to cushion the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic through the implementation of its Economic Sustainability Plan, ESP,  has also launched the transport support track under its MSME Survival Fund schemes for artisans and transporters.

This is according to a statement by the media aide of the Vice President, Laolu Akande,  at the launch of the transport track last Monday which followed after the successful take-off of the Artisans Support track on October 1.

While the Artisans track is under the Survival Fund, the Transport track is a different scheme also under the Fund.

While verified Artisans have started receiving the N30,000 one-time grants, Nigerians operating in the transport business, including Rideshare drivers (Uber, Bolt, etc.), Taxi drivers, Bus drivers, Keke Napep riders, Okada riders, cart pushers etc., now have the opportunity to benefit from the scheme.

According to him, the Artisan track is being implemented in three streams, and as of November 25, a total number of 59,000 individual Artisan beneficiaries have been paid across 24 states in Stream 1 and Stream 2 states.

They include FCT, Lagos, Ekiti, Kaduna, Borno, Kano, Bauchi, Anambra,  Abia, Rivers, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Edo, Ogun, Ondo, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Enugu, and Ebonyi.

While the verification process for artisans under Stream 3 states commenced on Monday, November 30. Stream 3 states comprise Akwa-Ibom, Cross-River, Zamfara, Yobe, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Niger, Imo, Oyo, Osun, Jigawa, Gombe and Benue.