Fidelity Bank boosts Northern SMEs at Kano forum
The management of Fidelity Bank Plc has restated the bank’s commitment to supporting the growth and sustainability of Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) in the North.
In a statement signed by the bank’s Divisional Head Brand & Communications, Meksley Nwagboh and made available to journalists, the bank’s Executive Director, North, Mr. Sufiyanu Garba, made the commitment during its Quarterly Business Forum held in Kano.
Speaking during the event, Garba described Northern Nigeria as critical to the country’s economic future, citing its vast agricultural resources, strong trading culture, manufacturing capacity and large consumer market.
According to him, the bank remained committed to helping businesses in the region unlock their potential through financing, market access, advisory support and strategic partnerships.
Garuba noted that the Bank’s ambition was to be more than a provider of funds by offering entrepreneurs and businesses the knowledge, connections and solutions needed for growth .
On his party, the bank’s Divisional Head, SME Banking, Mrs. Ugochi Osinigwe, stressed that the Forum was created to enable the bank engage directly with entrepreneurs and better understand the challenges confronting businesses across key sectors of the economy.
She said the bank was committed to reducing the cost of doing business through zero-maintenance-fee account offerings and free capacity-building programmes aimed at equipping entrepreneurs with practical skills in business structuring, record keeping, financial management and access to finance.
“We invest significantly in training because many SMEs struggle due to limited knowledge of essential business practices. Through our physical and digital learning platforms, we help entrepreneurs develop the skills required to become more structured, sustainable and bankable,” she said.
Participants at the forum, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of I.G. Best Company, Mr. Okereke Ignatus Mmbonye, and the Managing Director of Nabila Oil Mills, Mr. Sufiyanu Salisu Ahmad, commended the bank for providing valuable business knowledge, connections and opportunities for direct engagement between financial institutions and the business community.
