The Association of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AMEN) was found on 12th January 2007. it is a Non-profit association established to educate micro entrepreneurs on the best practices, protect their interest and to ensure that members produce affordable quality goods with deliberate attempt to meet the international standards. Therefore, the membership consists of Micro Manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, in different fields of endeavour which relate to production activities especially,consumer goods. In fact AMEN’s vision is summarised as “one family, one product”

The association formally was known as “Micro Producers Association of Lagos State (MPALS) before incorporation as the Association Of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AMEN). AMEN was finally incorporated on the 9th of April 2010. The change of name was done based on the good advice from stakeholders in the industry who understood the vision, to make it a national association. The National status did not only allow AMEN to accommodate potential members from other states of the federation but also empowered us to establish offices throughout the thirty six states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja based on the track record of tremendous success recorded within the short period of existence in Lagos.

This history will never be a complete story if we fail to mention the remarkable encouragement from NAFDAC. NAFDAC invited the officers of the Association to a meeting after receiving a letter from the Association on the challenges of Micro Entrepreneurs advising NAFDAC to review the product registration requirements to accommodate micro entrepreneurs.Hear her!

“Gentlemen this is a great vision for our dear country. NAFDAC was structured to promote manufacturing sector even the young ones coming up. Go and form a cooperative/ association, contribute together and acquire a place with the facilities available, we will come and inspect and then register every members products individually using the same facility of the same product line. Let your action speak for you”

Those were the landmark statements made by Mrs. Makanjuola, former Director Enforcement unit representing Professor Dora Akunyili at the meeting. With this, the blue print was formed and the first meeting took place on August 2006 with only twelve members (12) present.

At the meeting, as a follow up to the advice from NAFDAC ,one member volunteered his factory to be used to register members product with NAFDAC under contract manufacturing. The success of registering this member’s products through the association after series of effort without result when he was alone was the genesis of membership growth and tremendous success for the association.