Banking
Scaling up Your Business Now Made Easy with Diamond Business Advantage (DBA)
It is no more news that 66% of small businesses in Nigeria fizzle out before their 10th year according to Small Business Association (SBA) statistics. This has been the trend as a result of so many factors affecting SMEs in Nigeria and if you’re not going to be part of these 66% businesses, then you need to understand the WHY and the solution to sustaining your business.
Stay with me as I expose these to you.
The main challenges confronting the operations of MSMEs in Nigeria as revealed by the survey are access to finance and poor infrastructure, inconsistency in government policies, poor support (business development
services), access to market, multiple taxation and obsolete technology.
So many businesses have died down as a result of lack of vital information in marketing, customer relation, staff management, accounting, etc. and a handful of many closed down as a result of insufficient cash flow. Yes, I understand it is difficult in this part of the world as a startup or a business owner to have access to sufficient information and access to cash flow all at a go, but what if I tell you that you can get all of these at your finger tip – now made easy.
Business growth and strategy are no more rocket science, but information they say, is power and the ability to grasp it with both hands when it’s near is very vital, and right here you have it.
Permit me to introduce you to Diamond Business Advantage (DBA) by Access Bank, an Emerging Business proposition that is designed to equip you with the right tools to give your business the advantage it deserves. This covers a unique financial product (Diamond Business Advantage) tailor made to suit any stage of business, and a range of non-financial services that will help you
❖ Make better decisions
❖ Manage cost
❖ Access finance
❖ Segment your market
❖ Grow your business across local and international markets.
That is not all…
With DBA, you have access to online (over 50 business courses, webinars) and offline business management trainings, networking opportunities, you’ve also got access to business advisory that will help your business growth, and what’s more, the most important, you have the opportunity to Access Funds.
Most of the CBN SME fundings out there are not being accessed by businesses because of lack of proper information, but with DBA, you’re a step closer to getting these funds for your business.
It might also interest you to know that subscribing to DBA gives you access to the Diamond Business Club – a gathering where other DBA members are hosted and given the opportunity to share common interests and interact with one another, providing a platform to network and access new markets.
Your business is just about to get that big buzz and scale massively.
The Diamond Business Advantage is opened to Micro, Small, Medium and Large businesses (MSMEs) with 3 different plans (BASIC, GROWING & ESTABLISHED) – so everyone has got to be on this irrespective of what level your business is right now, and benefit from it as well.
If growing and scaling up your business is important to you, then get on board right now, subscribe to DBA and begin your business expansion journey. You don’t want to miss out on this.
Click HERE right now to begin.
The Diamond Business Advantage is powered by Access Bank, your SME friendly bank.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
An initiative known as Nigeria Lightning Rounds, designed to expand funding opportunities for Nigerian startups and small businesses by connecting founders with local and international investors, has been launched by ProvidusUnity Bank, in partnership with US-based global venture firm and accelerator, gener8tor.
Scheduled to be held on July 15, 2026, Nigeria Lightning Rounds will feature carefully selected startups engaging with targeted investors who have expressed interest in supporting Nigerian innovation.
Participating founders will have the opportunity to pitch their businesses through focused 15-minute virtual sessions facilitated by gener8tor and ProvidusUnity Bank’s networks.
The program will focus on high-growth sectors including fintech, healthtech, manufacturing, sustainability, and AI, but welcomes SMEs from all industries, with intending participants urged to apply via https://www.gener8tor.com/lightning-rounds/nigeria.
“We recognise that access to capital remains one of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Through our partnership with gener8tor, we are creating a platform that connects promising Nigerian founders with investors who can provide the support required to scale their businesses,” the Head of Business Development at ProvidusUnity Bank, Mr Ernest Elue, stated.
“The partnership reinforces ProvidusUnity Bank’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by supporting innovation, enabling access to opportunities, and creating pathways for businesses with high-growth potential,” he added.
Also commenting, the Director of Lightning Rounds at gener8tor, Ms Elizabeth Larios, said, “gener8tor is thrilled to partner with ProvidusUnity Bank to extend the Lightning Rounds model into Nigeria.
“This collaboration reflects our commitment to building equitable ecosystems and driving capital to the most promising and underrepresented entrepreneurs.”
Lightning Rounds are a signature initiative of gener8tor’s investment platform, which has facilitated thousands of investor-startup meetings globally. The format is optimised to eliminate friction, reduce bias in early-stage fundraising, and help founders secure capital from investors aligned with their mission and stage. gener8tor’s previous Lightning Rounds for Nigerian Founders in 2025 featured 18 participating Investors and led to 50 investment meetings facilitated.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The verification of the depositors of the 46 microfinance banks, whose operating licenses were revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over a week ago, has commenced.
The exercise, aimed at refunding those whose funds were trapped in the small lenders, is being conducted by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).
In a statement on Thursday, the agency said its staff members have been positioned at the offices of the affected banks across the country to attend to depositors.
It was disclosed that depositors of the defunct banks, who had their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) linked to their accounts in the failed banks, will be paid through their alternative accounts in existing banks.
However, depositors whose BVNs were not linked to their accounts in the failed banks have been encouraged to visit the affected banks’ offices with proof of account ownership, a passport photograph, verifiable means of identification (Driver’s Licence, Permanent Voter’s Card, International Passport or National ID Card) and BVN.
NDIC also stated that depositors can alternatively file their claims online through its website: www.ndic.gov.ng, to complete the Pre-Verification Claims Form by clicking on the Search Bar, and typing Pre-Verification Claims Form; opening the Form and filling in their details. They can also do so by clicking the link: https://ndic.gov.ng/ndic-pre-verification-claims-form/ or by visiting any of the NDIC offices closest to them to file their claims.
For further enquiries, the corporation can be reached on any of the following lines: 09037273810, 09038197064, 08104220807, 09064657140.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolment has slowed significantly in 2026 following the introduction of a stricter regulatory framework by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), with the latest data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) showing that registrations are on course to fall well below last year’s record.
The BVN database stood at 69.55 million as of July 5, 2026, up from 69.32 million in June, indicating that only 228,947 new registrations were recorded over the period. Since the end of 2025, when the database stood at 67.8 million, total enrolments have increased by 1.75 million.
At the current pace, however, BVN registrations are unlikely to match the 4.3 million new enrolments recorded in 2025, suggesting a sharp deceleration in growth this year.
The slowdown comes after the CBN introduced a revised BVN regulatory framework in March, with the new rules taking effect on May 1, 2026. The framework tightened controls around enrolment, identity verification and fraud monitoring as part of efforts to strengthen the integrity of the banking system.
Among the key changes was the introduction of a minimum enrolment age of 18 years, effectively preventing minors from registering for a BVN.
The new framework also limits customers to a one-time change of the phone number linked to their BVN and requires financial institutions to place BVNs linked to suspected fraudulent transactions on a temporary watch-list for up to 24 hours while investigations are carried out.
The stricter rules contrast with last year’s surge in registrations, which was largely driven by the introduction of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative that enabled Nigerians in the diaspora to complete BVN enrolment remotely, removing physical barriers and expanding access to the financial system.
Launched on February 14, 2014, the BVN scheme was introduced by the CBN in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee, NIBSS and German technology firm Dermalog to assign every bank customer a unique biometric identity that can be verified across Nigeria’s banking industry.
