L-R: Executive Director, North, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Sufiyanu Garba; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, I.G. Best Company, Mr. Okereke Ignatus Mmbonye; and Divisional Head, SME Banking, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mrs. Ugochi Osinigwe, at the Fidelity Bank Quarterly Business Forum held in Kano.
By Peace Udugba
Bank highlights financing, capacity building and market access as key drivers of sustainable business growth
Fidelity Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth and sustainability of Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Northern Nigeria through its Quarterly Business Forum held in Kano.
The forum, themed “Positioning Northern Businesses for Growth,” brought together entrepreneurs, business owners, industry stakeholders and customers to explore practical strategies for improving business operations, accessing finance, strengthening financial management and building resilience.
Speaking at the event, Executive Director, North, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Sufiyanu Garba, described Northern Nigeria as a critical driver of the country’s economic future, stressing the need to unlock the region’s entrepreneurial potential through strategic support and partnerships.
“The North occupies a critical place in Nigeria’s economic future. With its vast agricultural resources, strong trading culture, manufacturing capacity and large consumer market, the region has enormous potential for sustainable economic growth. Fidelity Bank remains committed to helping businesses unlock this potential through financing, market access, advisory support and strategic partnerships,” he said.
Garba said the Quarterly Business Forum reflects the bank’s commitment to supporting businesses beyond providing access to finance.
“Supporting businesses is central to our purpose, and our ambition is to be more than a provider of funds. We want to be a trusted partner that understands businesses and provides the financing, knowledge, connections and solutions they need to grow,” he said.
He added that Kano and the wider Northern region possess the talent, enterprise and resources required to play a leading role in Nigeria’s economic development, noting that Fidelity Bank would continue to support businesses across the region.
Bank Creates Platform to Understand SME Challenges
Also speaking, Divisional Head, SME Banking, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mrs. Ugochi Osinigwe, said the Quarterly Business Forum was established to provide a platform for direct engagement with entrepreneurs and gain deeper insight into the challenges facing businesses across different sectors.
Osinigwe described the forum as a listening platform designed to strengthen relationships between the bank and business owners.
“We are here to deepen our relationships, understand the unique challenges facing businesses across sectors and hear directly from entrepreneurs on how we can serve them better,” she said.
She added that Fidelity Bank’s support for SMEs goes beyond traditional banking services, noting that the bank provides products, advisory services and strategic partnerships aimed at helping businesses build, scale and thrive.
Osinigwe also highlighted the bank’s efforts to reduce the cost of doing business through zero-maintenance-fee account offerings and free capacity-building programmes.
According to her, the programmes equip entrepreneurs with practical knowledge in areas such as 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.
Entrepreneurs Commend Fidelity Bank
Participants at the forum commended Fidelity Bank for providing a platform that offers practical business insights and encourages direct engagement between entrepreneurs and financial institutions.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of I.G. Best Company, Mr. Okereke Ignatus Mmbonye, said the bank’s support for SMEs extends beyond financing.
“Fidelity Bank has demonstrated that its commitment to SMEs goes beyond access to credit. Platforms such as this provide valuable knowledge and connections that can make a real difference to growing businesses,” he said.
Similarly, Managing Director of Nabila Oil Mills, Mr. Sufiyanu Salisu Ahmad, praised the bank for creating opportunities for direct interaction between financial institutions and the business community.
“I appreciate Fidelity Bank for creating this platform to engage directly with entrepreneurs and understand the challenges we face. It is encouraging to see a bank take such a practical approach to supporting businesses,” Ahmad said.
Fidelity Bank’s SME Support
The Quarterly Business Forum forms part of Fidelity Bank’s broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s SME ecosystem through access to finance, enterprise development, financial education, financial inclusion and strategic business support.
The bank recently received the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) Service Ambassadors Award for the Highest Impact on MSMEs Accessing Credit for the First Time, recognising its contribution to expanding access to credit and supporting enterprise growth.
Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged commercial deposit money bank serving millions of customers through its digital banking channels, business offices across Nigeria and its United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The bank has also received several local and international recognitions, including awards for MSME support, retail and SME banking, export and trade finance, innovation and private banking.
