Business
Sterling Bank Opens Vault To N5bn SMEDAN Fund With Databanc
Sterling Bank Opens Vault To N5bn SMEDAN Fund With Databanc
Lagos, Nigeria, June 20, 2024 – One of Nigeria’s leading full-fledged commercial bank, Sterling Bank, and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), have launched a groundbreaking platform called Databanc.
The platform will serve as a single source of truth for data on businesses in Nigeria to guide personalized interventions and support from decision makers who serve the MSME ecosystem.
The platform will provide insights which will be utilized by SMEDAN to deliver its mandate on policy formulation, delivery of intervention programmes and other initiatives, including financing, that will support the growth of small businesses in Nigeria.
Photo caption:
L-R: Head, SME Products, Sterling Bank, Ms. Bolanle Tyson; DH Retail SME, Sterling Bank, Edward Ogunmekan; Director General and Chief Executive Officer, SMEDAN, Charles Odii; Chief Product Officer, Sterling Bank, Mustapha Otaru and Lagos State Office, SMEDAN, Dr. Bunmi Kole-Dawodu, at the Sterling and SMEDAN Unveiling Databanc in Lagos recently.
This platform will also provide unique identification for small businesses and their promoters as well as their business areas/sectors.
This platform and the Sterling/SMEDAN N5 billion single digit loan programme are some of the avenues through which Sterling Bank is working with SMEDAN to jointly grow the Nigerian economy by supporting the growth and expansion of small businesses.
Speaking at the launch of the platform, Executive Director of Commercial and Institutional Banking at Sterling Bank, Tunde Adeola, announced the platform and fund was a materialization of Sterling Bank’s commitment towards growing the real sector of the nation’s economy.
Adeola said “We are delighted to bolster the backbone of our economy with SMEDAN. This initial fund of N5 billion marks just the beginning of what has been and will continue to be a mainstay of our approach to funding businesses to grow at scale, and become the preferred financial partner for businesses, no matter their scale.”
The Executive Director said that over 20,000 SMEs have enrolled on the Databanc platform, with over 80 beneficiaries of the single-digit loan program and further disbursements ongoing. He encouraged all MSMEs in the country to enrol on the platform.
SMEDAN’s Director-General, Mr. Charles Odii, represented by the Director of Agribusiness Development and Access to Finance, Levi Anyikwa, highlighted the programme’s alignment with SMEDAN’s mission to democratize credit access for nano and micro-enterprises. Anyikwa affirmed that “access to finance remains a significant hurdle for SMEs, and we are committed to removing that barrier.”
Anyikwa emphasized the November 2022 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SMEDAN and Sterling Bank as a pivotal step towards digitalizing and streamlining loan processes.
Bolanle Tyson, Head of SME Digital Products at Sterling Bank, emphasized Sterling Bank’s strategic focus on critical sectors encapsulated in the HEART of Sterling forward strategy: Health, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy, and Transportation.
Tyson outlined the innovative support package, including access to capital at single-digit interest rates, alongside essential resources such as capacity building, marketing support, and infrastructure development. “We are leveraging data to empower SMEs like never before,” she added.
“Our commitment to SMEs is steadfast,” Tyson asserted. “We recognize their pivotal role in driving Nigeria’s GDP and employment. This partnership with SMEDAN underscores our shared dedication to their success.”
The launch of the Databanc platform chronicles another major milestone in the
ongoing strategic partnership between Sterling Bank and SMEDAN, dating back to June 2023 when both entities signed a partnership to create Nigeria’s largest SME database, which was followed closely in November 2023 with the signing of the memorandum for the N5 billion loan portfolio.
Interested applicants can easily apply for the loan by first registering on the SME Databanc Platform to generate their unique promoter and business IDs at sterling.ng/databanc, and apply for the loan by downloading the Banca by Sterling mobile app from Google Play or the iOS App Store.
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Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation opens applications for 6th Cohort Programme
The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the sixth cohort of its transformative AIG Public Leaders Programme (AIG PLP).
This flagship six-month executive education initiative, delivered by the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, is designed to empower high-potential public sector leaders across Africa with the tools, networks, and strategic insight required to deliver meaningful reform across African public institutions.
Applications are now open to qualified public servants from all English-speaking African countries and will close on Sunday, April 12, 2026. The programme commences in October 2026.
Since its inception in 2021, the AIG PLP has built a formidable reputation for creating tangible impact.
Alumni from the programme have gone on to design and implement more than 230 reform projects within their ministries, departments, and agencies across Africa.
An impact survey revealed that 62% of alumni have earned promotions or assumed expanded leadership roles post-training, demonstrating the programme’s direct effect on career advancement and institutional influence.
“Across Africa, the complexity of public sector challenges demands more than good intentions. It requires reformers who understand systems, can navigate institutional realities, and are equipped to implement sustainable change.
The AIG PLP is designed to meet this need,” said Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, Executive Vice-Chair of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation.
As part of the programme, a PLP alumna, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, Executive Secretary of Lagos State DSVA, launched a secure self-reporting tool that allows survivors of domestic and sexual abuse safely document incidents and preserve evidence.
Survivors are already accessing support, and the tool ensures that crucial proof is protected until justice can be sought. This is one of over 230 impactful reform projects being implemented across sectors as diverse as healthcare, finance, agriculture, and education.
We are seeing proof every day that investing in the capacity and leadership potential of people, delivers the kind of transformation that policy alone cannot achieve.”
The AIG PLP is a blended learning experience that combines online sessions with an intensive residential module.
It is offered at no cost to selected participants, with the Foundation covering all costs of the programme including accommodation and feeding during the residential weeks.
Participants gain direct access to world-class faculty from the University of Oxford, and learn to tackle core public sector challenges such as: Negotiating in the public interest. Harnessing digital technology for governance.
Strengthening public organisations.
Upholding integrity in public life.
The curriculum culminates in a capstone reform project, where participants apply their new skills to a real-world challenge within their institution.
This practical component ensures that learning translates directly into actionable solutions.
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply early. For more details on the application process and to apply, please visit the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation website.
Renewed Hope Ambassadors Inspect RHA Secretariat
Renewed Hope Ambassadors, led by its Director-General and the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, alongside Zonal Coordinators (NW, NC, SE), the Media & Publicity Directorate, and other key stakeholders, inspected the RHA Secretariat two days after President Bola Tinubu unveiled the Renewed Hope Ambassadors grassroots engagement drive in Abuja.
Harmony Gardens’ Ibeju-Lekki Portfolio Crosses $1bn
Harmony Garden & Estate Development Limited has expanded its development activities across Ibeju-Lekki, pushing the projected long-term value of its estate portfolio beyond $1 billion.
Led by Chief Executive Officer Hon. Dr. Audullahi Saheed Mosadoluwa, popularly know Saheed Ibile, the company is developing seven estates within the Lekki–Ibeju corridor. Details available on Harmony Garden & Estate Development show a portfolio spanning land assets and ongoing residential construction across key growth locations.
A major component is Lekki Aviation Town, where urban living meets neighborhood charm, located near the proposed Lekki International Airport and valued internally at over $250 million. The development forms part of the company’s broader phased expansion strategy within the axis.
Other estates in the corridor tagged as the “Citadel of Joy” (Ogba-idunnu) include Granville Estate, Majestic Bay Estate, The Parliament Phase I & II, and Harmony Casa Phase I & II.
With multiple projects active, the rollout of the Ibile Traditional Mortgage System, and structured expansion underway, Harmony Garden & Estate Development Ltd continues to deepen its presence within the fast-growing Ibeju-Lekki real estate market.
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