Ecobank Nigeria has developed an innovative training program aimed at boosting the country’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The Bank’s MySME Growth Series initiative will teach over 1 million SME operators across the country by 2024.
Osahon Akpata, head of SME & Partnerships at Ecobank Nigeria, announced the scheme in Lagos, saying it aligns with the bank’s objective to empowering SMEs in various sectors of the economy.
“Ecobank intends to teach 1 million SMEs in Nigeria to increase their capacities and encourage growth. We are introducing the first phase of our training program, the MySME Growth series, which consists of virtual bootcamps given by specialists in their disciplines. SMEs are the growth engine of Nigeria’s economy, accounting for about 50% of GDP and 90% of employment. As a growth-oriented bank, Ecobank is dedicated to the success of SMEs in various areas of the economy,” he stated.
Furthermore, he said that, with the overarching topic of “Scaling up your SME in 2024,” the first weekly MySME Growth webinar series would take place on Thursday, February 1 with a focus on ‘Growing your business online’ and will be hosted by Ijeoma Arum, chief commercial officer, Jumia Nigeria.
He mentioned that the webinar will be held every Thursday throughout the year.
Furthermore, Mr. Akpata stated that the series will cover a variety of topics relevant to small businesses, including accounting, credit, sales and marketing, taxation, and inventory management, and that the Bank intends to launch a SME Mentorship program in collaboration with successful entrepreneurs.
“We will also provide SMEs with tools to help them run their businesses, such as budget templates, scenario calculators, and links to government forms.” They will be instructed on resources for beginning a business, such as how to register, data for various industries and locations, and important factors to consider while running a firm. We will also supply articles on crucial issues such as sales-boosting recommendations, advertising ideas, business management techniques, case studies, and technology-leveraging guidelines, among others,” he stated.
