Fidelity Bank Plc has intensified its support for small and medium scale enterprises in Northern Nigeria through its Quarterly Business Forum in Kano, focusing on access to finance, financial management, capacity building and strategies for business growth.
The forum, themed “Positioning Northern Businesses for Growth,” brought together entrepreneurs, business owners, industry stakeholders and customers to examine practical ways of strengthening businesses and building resilience.
Speaking at the event, Executive Director, North, Fidelity Bank Plc, Sufiyanu Garba, described Northern Nigeria as critical to the country’s economic future, citing its agricultural resources, trading culture, manufacturing capacity and large consumer market.
Garba said the bank would support businesses in the region through financing, market access, advisory services and strategic partnerships.
He said the Quarterly Business Forum was designed to extend the bank’s support beyond providing funds by giving entrepreneurs access to knowledge, connections and business solutions needed to grow.
Also speaking, Divisional Head, SME Banking, Fidelity Bank Plc, Ugochi Osinigwe, said the forum provided an opportunity for the bank to engage directly with entrepreneurs and understand the challenges confronting businesses across different sectors.
Osinigwe said the bank was also working to reduce the cost of doing business through zero maintenance fee account offerings and free capacity building programmes covering business structuring, record keeping, financial management and access to finance.
She said Fidelity Bank invested in physical and digital learning platforms because limited knowledge of essential business practices remained a challenge for many SMEs.
Participants commended the bank for providing a platform for practical business education and direct engagement between entrepreneurs and financial institutions.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of I.G. Best Company, Okereke Ignatus Mmbonye, said the bank’s support for SMEs extended beyond access to credit, noting that the forum provided valuable knowledge and business connections.
Similarly, the Managing Director of Nabila Oil Mills, Sufiyanu Salisu Ahmad, praised the bank for creating an avenue for direct engagement with entrepreneurs and understanding the challenges facing businesses.