FirstBank partners Chamber of Commerce to drive MSME growth

FirstBank of Nigeria Limited has partnered the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) to jointly host a Micro, Small & Medium Size Enterprises (MSME) workshop with the theme ‘Fundamentals of Building a Sustainable Business.’

The two-day workshop will take place on the 1st and 2nd of September, 2016 at the First Academy, Iganmu Lagos, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily.

The workshop is designed to boost participant’s capacity and creating value for MSMEs given the pivotal role they play in modern economies in areas of job creation and significant contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

According to Mr Gbenga Shobo, Deputy Managing Director, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, “The SME market segment is one of FirstBank’s strategic platforms to stimulate economic development and we would continue to support activities geared towards the sustainable development of the segment even as it remains our business to foster the growth and development of small and medium scale businesses in Nigeria in sync with our position as the nation’s Number one SME Bank in Nigeria.”

FirstBank has over the years, emphasised the fact that Africa’s  economies cannot move forward if MSMEs and budding entrepreneurs are continuously starved of the right knowledge and skills set to grow their businesses.

The bank is intensifying support for MSMEs through a number of initiatives geared towards raising their level of competitiveness in a challenging business environment.

Key areas of discourse at the workshop will include financial windows available to MSMEs and how to access them, strategy development and implementation for small businesses, sustainability opportunities for small businesses, and financial management for growing businesses among others.

FirstBank would also provide facilitators from senior members of staff who are proficient in the business of MSMEs to proffer practical solutions on business growth and development.