By Dipo Olowookere
Funding has remained one of the challenges faced by players in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) despite the sector being an economic engine room of any prosperous nation.
But on Friday, May 21, 2021, at 11am, experts will take stakeholders through the different ways this issue can be addressed effectively.
On that day, regulatory agencies of government, policy decision-makers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), business and industry thought leaders will gather for the Ecobank Nigeria and Vanguard Economic Forum Series themed Unlocking Credit Growth in a Changing MSME Lending Landscape.
According to the organisers, the event would be broadcast and streamed live via zoom platform, with registration required ahead of the webinar via cutt.ly/ecobankmsme or https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/05/ecobank-msme-finance-virtual-summit-2021/
Confirmed speakers include Mr Olukayode Pitan, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Bank of Industry (BoI); Dr Dikko Rada, Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDAN); Adenike Adeyemi, Executive Director, Fate Foundation; Eke Ubiji, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Association of Small & Medium Enterprises (NASME) and a representative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), amongst others.
The guest of honour will be the Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Jumoke Oduwole, while Patrick Akinwuntan, Managing Director of Ecobank Nigeria, will be the chief host.
The Country Head, SME Ecobank Nigeria Limited, Mr Emeka Agada, disclosed that the summit is a thought leadership content platform that would deeply dialogue on the need to support the sub-sector with capital, including examination of key issues and ways of achieving the objective through digital financial inclusion for the MSMEs.
He disclosed that there will be audience engagement of members of various trade groups such as NASME and SMEDAN with a view to detailing various lending options.
Mr Agada further reiterated that the Ecobank Digital Series is in line with the bank’s vision to consolidate a modern pan-African market, contribute to the economic development and financial integration of the continent.
On his part, the Director, Vanguard Conferences and The Economic Forum Series, Mr Jude Ndu, noted that, “As a follow up to the hugely successful Ecobank Digital Financial Inclusion virtual summit, we are indeed pleased and delighted with the ongoing high-level strategic partnership with Ecobank Nigeria in the area of concept development, synthesis, design and execution of high profile thematic bespoke events.”
“The upcoming conference speaks to the strong sense of confidence the bank has in us to help curate thought leadership content and context for the brand in line with its marketing objectives,” he added.
Mr Ndu disclosed that the MSME conference would help Ecobank communicate and connect with Nigeria’s largely MSMEs on its lending options and support, adding that the bank will also showcase its strength in the digital banking space such as its innovative digital payment channels like the OmniPlus, Omnilite and digital sales collections channels like Ecobankpay NQR amongst other financial service offerings to close the large financial Inclusion gap and a direct response to mitigating the economic challenge post-COVID-19.
Adedapo Adesanya 
Modupe Gbadeyanka