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Access Bank to Host Pioneering Africa Trade Conference in Cape Town

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Access Bank to Host Pioneering Africa Trade Conference in Cape Town

Access Bank to Host Pioneering Africa Trade Conference in Cape Town

 

Cape Town, South Africa – January 29, 2025: Access Bank PLC is set to host its first-ever Africa Trade Conference (ATC), a landmark event focused on advancing Africa’s economic transformation under the theme, ‘Empowering Africa Through Trade, Innovation, and Sustainable Growth’. Scheduled for March 12, 2025, in Cape Town, South Africa, the conference is poised to bring together the most influential voices in trade, finance, and policy to address the future of commerce across the continent.

 

Access Bank to Host Pioneering Africa Trade Conference in Cape Town

With Africa’s trade finance gap estimated at $81 billion annually, the conference aims to tackle the systemic challenges hindering trade, particularly for SMEs and domestic firms. By fostering collaboration among key stakeholders, the Conference will explore innovative solutions, sustainable trade practices, and strategies for expanding African economies into global value chains.

Roosevelt Ogbonna, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank PLC, emphasised the importance of the Africa Trade Conference, in addressing these pressing issues. “The Africa Trade Conference represents a crucial step in redefining Africa’s trade potential. By creating platforms for dialogue, innovation, and actionable solutions, Access Bank is enabling African businesses to connect and thrive in the global economy.”

Access Bank’s presence across 24 countries globally, including 16 in Africa, provides a unique advantage in facilitating inter- and intra-African trade. The Bank’s growing network positions it as a key player in addressing trade complexities and promoting inclusive growth across the continent.

Seyi Kumapayi, Executive Director, African Subsidiaries, Access Bank, highlighted the broader vision of the forum, saying, “The Africa Trade Conference is a platform to not only address Africa’s trade challenges, but to champion the continent’s opportunities. Through strategic partnerships, tailored financial solutions, built on the ethos of sustainability, we are paving the way for Africa’s businesses to take their place on the global stage.”

This flagship event will convene a distinguished line-up of seasoned speakers, and top executives from leading international banks, Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), and captains of industry in Africa.

The ATC will also shine a spotlight on the transformative potential of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to reduce trade barriers, enhance infrastructure, and integrate African economies into global trade networks. Furthermore, the event will explore critical themes shaping the continent’s economic future, including the transformative role of digitisation and innovation in global trade, solutions for overcoming trade barriers to enhance market access, as well as sustainable trade practices and innovative financing models, thereby providing a comprehensive roadmap for advancing Africa’s position in global commerce. Please visit https://africatradeconference.accessbankplc.com/ for more information.

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Wema Bank to Train and Empower 800,000 Nigerian Businesses

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Signs MOU with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN)

Reinforcing its reputation as an institution committed to empowering SMEs, Wema Bank, Nigeria’s foremost innovative bank and pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, has undertaken an initiative to empower 800,000 Nigerian Businesses; following its MOU Signing with Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) on February 25th, 2025 in Lagos, Nigeria.

SMEDAN is a national agency established in 2003 with the goal of promoting the development of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector of the Nigerian Economy. The partnership with Wema Bank is focused on training MSMEs on soft skills, technical skills, and business skills, empowering them to build profitable businesses, gain more visibility and scale sustainably. To execute this grand initiative, Wema Bank will provide the training and resources for the 800,000 businesses who will be curated by SMEDAN. This initiative will take course over the next 12 to 18 months.

Commenting on the partnership, Wema Bank’s MD/CEO, Moruf Oseni, reiterated the Bank’s lifelong commitment to empowering Nigerians to thrive. According to him, “At Wema Bank, we don’t pay lip service to SME matters.

From inception in 1945, Wema Bank was built with a purpose to provide financing for the indigenous people of Nigeria. It wasn’t because banks didn’t exist during those years, it was because we identified the gaps in access to finance for our people.

This is why Wema Bank came to life; to provide tailored financial services and empower Nigerians to thrive on both individual and business levels”.

“Over the past 8 decades, Wema Bank has been driving this lifelong mission of empowering Nigerians with access to finance, constantly reinventing to develop more efficient ways of delivering value to the people. One cardinal thing that we haven’t deviated from is that we are fully committed to empowering entrepreneurs and small businesses in Nigeria.

The petty traders we provided for in the 1900s are the entrepreneurs and MSMEs that we continue to empower in the 2000s, and we will never relent in fulfilling this promise. So, MSME empowerment for us is not just a buzzword.

It is what we have always done, what we are doing through this partnership with SMEDAN and what we will continue to do beyond 80 years”.
Commending Wema Bank’s evident commitment and key role in empowering business and stimulating growth in the MSME Sector, Charles Odili, the Director General of SMEDAN expressed confidence in the success of this partnership with Wema Bank towards building a sustainably successful future for Nigerian MSMEs.

Closing out, he added, “I want to again, thank Wema Bank. This is a prime example of how collaboration and determination to create impact can make a positive difference. I thank you for their constant support to MSMEs and for not paying lip service to MSME Empowerment in Nigeria”.

Wema Bank has earned an admirable reputation as Nigeria’s SME Bank, going above and beyond in empowering businesses with access to finance, visibility, market access, tailored trainings, mentorship and various other forms of support.

Through this partnership with SMEDAN, Wema Bank is set to advance Nigeria’s MSME industry, building formidable Nigerian businesses and reinforcing Wema Bank’s position as the Bank that is committed to empowering MSMEs.

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Aare Adetola Emmanuelking Hosts Grand Reception for CP Ogunlowo, Pledges Support for Safer Ogun

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Aare Adetola Emmanuelking Hosts Grand Reception for CP Ogunlowo, Pledges Support for Safer Ogun

 

In a prestigious gathering of law enforcement officials, royal fathers, and community leaders, Aare Adetola Emmanuelking, the Golden Grand Patron of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) National, hosted a warm reception in honor of the newly appointed Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Olanrewaju Ogunlowo, PhD.

 

Held at his residence, the event underscored the importance of community policing and strong collaboration between security agencies and the public.

 

“Security is a collective responsibility. We must work together to tackle crime, especially emerging threats to our communities,” Aare Emmanuelking emphasized, pledging full support for CP Ogunlowo’s mission to ensure a safer Ogun State.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of prestigious awards to distinguished individuals for their outstanding contributions to community security and development. Honorees included top PCRC officials, royal fathers, and CP Ogunlowo himself.

In his remarks, CP Ogunlowo expressed gratitude for the warm reception and reaffirmed his commitment to community-driven policing. “Engaging with the people is key to effective policing. We will strengthen partnerships to ensure the safety and security of all residents,” he assured.

The event stood as a testament to the unwavering partnership between law enforcement and community leaders in building a peaceful and secure Ogun State.

Aare Adetola Emmanuelking Hosts Grand Reception for CP Ogunlowo, Pledges Support for Safer Ogun

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Business Tycoon, Egungbohun Calls for Greater Investment in Technical Education to Combat Unemployment

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Business Tycoon, Egungbohun Calls for Greater Investment in Technical Education to Combat Unemployment*

Business Tycoon, Egungbohun Calls for Greater Investment in Technical Education to Combat Unemployment*

 

 

Nigeria foremost Businessman and philanthropist Alhaji Ibraheem Dende Egungbohun (IBD) has called on government at all levels to continue to make vocational and technical education more attractive to youths in order for the Country to meet up with the global industrial challenges.

 

Alhaji Egungbohun made the call while speaking to Journalists after he was conferred with the Ogun State Institute of Technology, OGITECH, Igbesa fellowship award.

Business Tycoon, Egungbohun Calls for Greater Investment in Technical Education to Combat Unemployment*

Represented by his spouse, Chief Egungbohun also challenged government to make technical and vocational education more enticing to the youths to solve the challenge of unemployment.

He noted that many developed countries now prioritize vocational and technical education as against issues that are not beneficial to the youths while also saying that the move would make the youth self-reliant.

His words, “It is only through vocational and technical education that the youth can get entrepreneurial knowledge to stand and work on their own. Government should then make it more enticing to the youth. It is the way forward for this country to end this youthful restfulness.”

He commended the Ogun State government for placing high premium on Education and the current revitalisation of technical colleges across the State through the rehabilitation among other interventions.

He further stressed the need for the government at all levels to place more emphasis on the establishment of skill acquisition centers for the school graduates to learn vocations in addition to their certificates.

According to him, the move will reduce the over dependence on white-collar jobs among the youths in the country.

Stressing the importance of technical and vocational education for the youths in the society, the business mogul explained that for a country to achieve technological advancement and economic development, there was urgent need for government to pay premium attention to Polytechnic education and make it more practical in approach

He appreciated the Rector and other management of Ogun State Institute of Technology Igbesa for bestowing on him the highest honour of the School while promising to do more in uplifting the less privilege in the society.

Alhaji Egungbohun said government alone cannot fund education, he challenged other well to do in the society to adopt a school in the State and make a meaningful impact in such school.

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