Since it was established in 2003, the focus of the EDS has been professionalizing and equipping managers of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) with the skills needed to achieve and sustain success in their entrepreneurial endeavours. Its flag-ship programme is the Certificate programme in Entrepreneurial Management (CEM) through which it trains and supports over 150 new business owners every year.
EDS has begun running the Social Sector Management (SSM) programmes. The aim of this programme is to educate managers of NGOs and other social entrepreneurs to creatively manage their resources and to professionalise their work so that the projects they are involved in become sustainable. Each annual edition of the programme will train 25 managers.
EDS operates as a membership club and offers the following support services to its members:
Advisory Services (Expert-In- Residence) – A pool of experts (mostly volunteers) in various fields are invited for business session to proffer advice to interested small business owners on the EDS network and provide answer to specific enquiries. They also enjoy follow-up services from the consultants and EDS staff.
Professional Services- Beyond advising members and alumni, specific professional services are provided. These services will cover Legal, Operations/Logistics. Strategy, HR, Accounting, Sales & Marketing issues etc. These services help members comply with regulations and meet financial institution's requirement for funding.
Network Meeting Dinner/Lunch – A monthly get together of members and SME owners to discuss "KEY ISSUES FACING SMEs".
Consulting- members and SMEs alike have access to consulting at two levels. On the first level, some of the MBA students at the Lagos Business School of Pan-African University will analyze real-life issues as well as follow-up services. On the second level, members and alumni can have access to a consortium of consultants consisting of professionals from various fields and faculty members of the Pan-African University.
Others- Members have access to EDS library and research findings, policy interpretations, SME Toolkit web portal etc. In addition, EDS members enjoys up to 20% discounts on ALL EDS programs and activities.
Partners: These are organizations and individuals who collaborate on the EDS initiative.
Donor Agencies: EDS already has the support of organizations such as Goldman Sachs10000 Women Initiative, IFC, a World Bank- (SME) Dept, Coca cola Africa Foundation, HP Nigeria and UNIDO.
Financial Institutions: These are some selected Nigerian banks and venture capital companies.
LBS Alumni: They form the core of professionals, volunteering and rendering specific services.
Volunteers: These are persons who donate of their time and professional services in the areas of assistance offered to members.
Collaborations in Provision of Services Internationally
Through a three-year grant from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the EDS model is being replicated in six institutions in four African countries, namely Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda. The institutions in which these models are being replicated are:
- School of Finance & Banking, Rwanda
- University of Ghana Business School, Ghana
- Strathmore University, Kenya
- United States International University, Kenya
- Jumo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology, Kenya
- University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
In further collaboration with the Goldman Sachs, EDS is working with Cuttington University (in Liberia) to develop its faculty and to help it develop a certificate program in entrepreneurial management.
EDS is evolving into a scheme that is the catalyst for the building up of a vibrant and sustainable small-scale sector of Nigeria's economy. It is spurring positive and needed changes in the country's socio-economic landscape as everyone – the members, partners and volunteers -are contributing positively to the country's development by providing support services geared towards ensuring the growth of private initiative and enterprise. The resulting effect will be an environment where companies can focus on pursuing their business objectives rigorously, while ensuring the creation of wealth and its equitable distribution within the economy.