Banking
Wema Bank Offers Enugu SMEs Loan Packages for Business Growth
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Owners and managers of Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Enugu State have been encouraged to apply for the various loan packages of Wema Bank to expand their operations.
The business owners were given this offer at the two-day business growth and innovation conference in Enugu in partnership with the Enugu State Government for SMEs.
The event took place in February 2023 and was organized to upskill and equip business owners and managers in Enugu and its environs with the knowledge and skills they need to supercharge the growth of their businesses. Topics covered ranged from strategy and innovation to digital transformation, sales and marketing, and financial management.
Over 250 SMEs attended the conference, which featured renowned resource persons, including Samuel Oyekanmi, a macroeconomic analyst; Deji Rahman, CEO and Lead Consultant of Reap and Arcenciel; Sola Adesakin, a finance coach and Lead Consultant of Smart Stewards Limited; and Iyore Ogbuigwe, a strategy consultant specializing in Sales Force Management and Lead of Ultravantage Solutions.
The Head of SME Banking at Wema Bank, Mr Arthur Nkemeh, explained that the bank’s interventions aimed at facilitating the growth and profitability of the SME segment of the economy are three-fold – SME Advisory & Non-Financial Services, Business Account Products, and Loan Products.
“Our loan products include the Business Support Facility, which is designed to help businesses finance stock and other business needs; School Support Facility that supports schools to meet recurrent expenditure; Pharma Loan, targeted at supporting pharmacy store owners with working capital; and the Green Energy Finance Facility that provides affordable financing for SMEs that want to acquire clean energy solutions like solar panels, inverters, and batteries.
“Others are the Medi Loan, designed to meet working capital needs of private hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic laboratories; and the DBN Loan, a partnership with the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), that provides funding to SMEs at a very affordable rate and engenders inclusive growth. All these facilities offer SMEs various amounts ranging from N100,000 to up to N720 million and have tenures ranging from one month to six years. Therefore, I call on the owners and managers of SMEs to take advantage of these products,” Mr Nkemeh continued.
He further informed the entrepreneurs in attendance that, in addition to the various loan facilities the bank offers SMEs, it also provides educational products such as the Wema SME Business School, Business Edge Masterclass, Quarterly Webinars, and monthly Newsletters that could help them update their knowledge to achieve growth and profitability.
“Our educational products help SMEs overcome most of the challenges they face, especially in funding. Some of the major factors that hinder SMEs from accessing funding, such as weak organizational and business structure, poor financial management and bookkeeping practices, lack of innovation, unproven business model or plan, no clear path to profitability, key-man risk and absence of a succession plan, poor marketing strategies, etc. are what we address through our educational interventions,” he concluded.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Access Bank Plc, the banking subsidiary of Access Holdings Plc, has entered into a binding agreement with South African-based Bidvest Group Limited for the acquisition of 100 per cent equity stake in Bidvest Bank Limited.
The deal for the 24-year-old South African lender is due to be completed in the second half of 2025, upon regulatory approval.
This shows Access Bank’s further expansion plans in line with goals set by its late founder, Mr Herbert Wigwe.
The agreement to acquire 100 percent stake in Bidvest Bank reflects Access Bank’s commitment to strengthening its footprint in South Africa and consolidating on its position as the continent’s gateway to global markets as it seeks to optimise the benefits of recent acquisitions and accelerate its transition towards a greater focus on efficiencies.
Bidvest Bank, founded in 2000 is a niche and profitable South African financial institution providing a diverse range of services, including corporate and business banking solutions and diverse retail banking products.
As of its year ended June 2024, Bidvest Bank reported total assets equivalent of $665million and audited profit before tax of $20million.
Upon conclusion of this acquisition, Bidvest Bank will be merged with the bank’s existing South African subsidiary to create an enlarged platform to anchor the regional growth strategy for the SADC region.
This is coming just as the bank opened a new branch in Malta as part of efforts to focus on international trade finance after obtaining a banking licence from the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA).
Access Bank said the licence marks a transformative milestone in bolstering Europe-Africa trade flows.
The Maltese branch was established by Access Bank UK Limited, the subsidiary of Access Bank Plc, which is also the subsidiary of Access Holdings Plc, which is listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
To strengthen Europe-Africa trade ties, Access Bank has opened a new branch in Malta. It will focus on international trade finance, employing approximately 30 people in its initial phase, with plans for controlled expansion over time.
It was learned that this Maltese branch was established by Access Bank UK Limited, the subsidiary of Access Bank Plc, which is also the subsidiary of Access Holdings Plc, which is listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
Access Bank Malta Limited commenced operations after obtaining a banking licence from the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA).
Access Bank said the licence marks a transformative milestone in bolstering Europe-Africa trade flows.
Malta, a renowned international financial centre, and a gateway between the two continents, is strategically positioned to play a pivotal role in advancing commerce and fostering economic partnerships.
This strategic expansion into Malta enables The Access Bank UK Limited to leverage growing trade opportunities between Europe and Africa.
It underscores the organisation’s commitment to driving global trade, financial integration, and supporting businesses across these regions.
“By establishing operations in Malta, we will gain a foothold in a market that bridges European and North African economies, moving us one step closer to our goal of becoming Africa’s Gateway to the World.
“It further enhances our bank’s capacity to support clients with innovative solutions tailored to cross-border trade and investment opportunities,” the chief executive of Access Bank, Mr Roosevelt Ogbonna, stated.
“Europe has emerged as Africa’s leading trading partner, driven by initiatives such as the Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and African regions and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“With Europe-Africa economic relations entering a new phase, The Access Bank Malta Limited is ideally positioned to deepen trade and meet the financing and banking needs of our clients in these expanding markets,” the chief executive of Access Bank UK, Mr Jamie Simmonds, commented.
Also speaking, the chief executive of Access Bank Malta, Renald Theuma, said, “Malta is uniquely positioned as a bridge between Europe and Africa, making it an ideal location for our subsidiary. This move allows The Access Bank Malta Limited to engage more closely with customers in Europe and deliver tailored financial solutions that drive growth and connectivity across both continents.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Goldman Sachs have announced a new partnership with African banks, including Nigeria’s Zenith Bank and Stanbic IBTC Nigeria to support the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women initiative, a joint programme launched in 2008 to provide access to capital and training for women entrepreneurs globally.
The two Nigerian banks are part of nine financial institutions from across Africa which have agreed to join the 10,000 Women initiative committing to leverage the business education and skills tools the programme provides to create more opportunities for women entrepreneurs across the continent by providing access to business education.
Others banks include Stanbic Bank Kenya, Ecobank Kenya, Ecobank Cote d’Ivoire, Equity Bank Group, Banco Millenium Atlantico – Angola, Baobab Group, and Orange Bank.
Speaking on this, Ms Charlotte Keenan, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs said – “10,000 Women has had a powerful impact to date, but we know that there are more women to reach and more potential to be realized.
“We are delighted to partner with IFC to supercharge the growth of women-owned businesses across Africa, and mainstream lending to female business leaders. We remain committed to supporting entrepreneurs with the access to education and capital that they need to scale.”
Since 2008, the 10,000 Women initiative has provided access to capital and business training to more than 200,000 women in 150 countries.
“This expanded initiative marks a significant step forward in creating equitable economic opportunities for women in Africa, enabling them to build stronger, more resilient businesses and to realize their entrepreneurial goals,” said Ms Nathalie Kouassi Akon, IFC’s Global Director for Gender and Economic Inclusion.
Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Women initiative complements the Women Entrepreneurs Opportunity Facility (WEOF), launched in 2014 by Goldman Sachs and IFC as the first-of-its-kind global facility dedicated to expanding access to capital for women entrepreneurs in emerging markets.
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