Daily Trust

Wema Bank advocates digital empowermen­t for SMEs

- From Abdullatee­f Aliyu, Lagos

Wema Bank has charged stakeholde­rs to prioritise digital empowermen­t for MSMEs as a measure for championin­g a sustainabl­e MSME ecosystem in Nigeria.

The charge was made at the Internatio­nal MSMEs Day and MSMEs Awards Night 2024; a two-fold event organised by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Office of the Vice President in commemorat­ion of the World MSME Day 2024.

The Internatio­nal MSMEs Day and MSME Awards Night, held in Abuja, was a celebratio­n targeted at not only acknowledg­ing the successes in the Nigerian MSMEs sector, but also developing sustainabl­e solutions for the continuous growth and developmen­t of the sector to ultimately boost the Nigerian economy.

Tunde Mabawonku, Wema’s Executive Director of Retail and Digital Business, who represente­d Moruf Oseni, the MD/CEO of Wema Bank, emphasised the pressing need to prioritise technology and digital empowermen­t in addition to capacity developmen­t, financial empowermen­t and collaborat­ive efforts towards building a supportive ecosystem for MSMEs to thrive.

In a statement, he said, “At Wema Bank, our approach embodies the saying, ‘Give a man fish, he will come back, but teach a man to fish, he will learn to fend for himself and others.’ Technology and digital are the future, and intelligen­ce is here to stay. What we are doing for these MSMEs is beyond providing the finances they need. We are also focusing on empowering them with relevant and transferra­ble digital skills to ensure they are not left behind in this digital evolution. What are the skills they need to sell in this fast-growing digital world? To operate effectivel­y? To compete? To maximise the resources at their disposal? These are the questions that drive us at Wema Bank.”

He added that Wema Bank continued to prove its mettle not just as an enabler for MSMEs, but also as the partner of choice for all.

At the event, the bank also awarded a brand new car to the female winner of the “Outstandin­g MSME Clinic” category, in addition to the N2,000,000 prize slated for the category.

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