E-Financial
FCMB Empowers SMEs with Training on Digital Technology, Logistics
Business owners in Nigeria have been advised to leverage on the opportunities provided by digital technology to boost productivity, service delivery and overall performance of their organisations despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19.
This was the submission of guest speakers at the second edition of the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) organised virtual capacity building programme for SMEs with the theme, “Leveraging Digital Technology & Logistics to Grow Your Business,” held recently.
The initiative was organised under the auspices of the bank’s free comprehensive capacity building programme, tagged, “Business Empowerment and Sustainability Training (BEST)’’ Masterclass and was put together by FCMB’sTraining Academy and SME Advisory Unit.
A statement explained that the online seminar, which recorded over 2,016 registered participants, focused on various topics, ranging from innovation, digital technology solutions, business model opportunities and adapting to the new normal.
The outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic has continued to pose alarming economic, business and commercial impact globally. It has adversely limited the ability of businesses to meet high demand of goods and services due to the restrictions and other safety measures put in place by Governments and health authorities to contain the pandemic.
However, experts are of the opinion that these challenges can be overcome with the adoption of effective digital technology solutions and logistics.
In his presentation, an Associate Partner with Mckinsey & Company, Mr. Chika Ekeji, said, though, Covid-19 is disrupting the structure of businesses across Africa, the continent can respond to disruptions with four actions.
These, he listed to include a shift in business model, sustaining business and restoring operation, shaping a whole new business and restructuring company or industry, depending on the extent of business model disruption and extent of negative demand disruption.
According to him, “some of the ways business owners can respond to this impact are, respond, return and reimagine. Across all horizon, a number of technology solutions can be leveraged to adjust SME operations to the new normal with the goal of cutting cost, sustaining revenues, reaching (new) customers, delivering on commitments, managing supply chains and innovating”.
Another guest speaker, an Associate Director of Strategy and Economics at KPMG Nigeria, Mr. Olusegun Zacchaeus, said businesses, particularly SMEs, should realign their strategies to embrace the new normal caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
He noted that this new reality presents a new set of conditions for success for SMEs and as such they must proactively adopt new strategies for survival, considering the challenging economic outlook.
He stressed that, “businesses will have to navigate the different phases of crisis maturity by responding to immediate challenges, managing through uncertainty, resetting and identifying opportunities and adapting to New Reality. The strategies for the New Reality include, building financial sustainability, manage your market to sustain revenue flows, diversify and explore new opportunities and re-evaluate your operating model plan with scenarios in mind”.
On his part, the Chairman of FASMICRO Group, Prof. Ndubuisi Ekekwe, who was a special guest said, there was need for everyone in business to evaluate why they are in business which brings the market friction between demand and supply to equilibrium.
“To stay relevant in business, business owners are required to solve market frictions and those with the acquired skills have the capabilities to release products that can overcome the frictions. If you have a great product – great things will happen,” he added.
Ekekwe added that, “The ability of business owners to serve customers and deliver goods to them can be achieved through partnership with logistics companies who leverage on technology to reach customers.
By following this model in the right way and choosing appropriate tech solutions, business owners can gain visibility, transparency and save cost, which will in turn help them stay within the marginal cost of production.”
Commenting on the BEST Masterclass, Mrs. Bukola Smith, Executive Director, Business Development of FCMB, said the bank recognises the increasing role and impact of SMEs and particularly understand the impact COVID-19 might have on their operations.
According to her, “the BEST initiative has been redesigned to meet the changing dynamics of the environment with the addition of a Masterclass. This is one of the innovative ways we empower and lay a solid foundation for the success of our SME customers.
“We believe that this initiative, which is the second edition since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, will go a long way to impact positively on business owners. We will continue to go the extra mile to create opportunities that would enable our customers succeed despite the challenges.”
Bank Verification Number (BVN) database rose to a new high in July 2025, with total enrollments climbing to 66.23 million, a 4.3 per cent increase within the first seven months of the year, as Nigerians residing outside the country enrolled through the Non-Resident BVN (NRBVN) initiative.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had, earlier this year, introduced the NRBVN, alongside the Non-Resident Nigerian Ordinary Account (NRNOA) and the Non-Resident Nigerian Investment Account (NRNIA), to attract diaspora investments into the country.
Subsequently, commercial banks with international licences took up the challenge, launching roadshows to help Nigerians abroad open accounts and enrol in the biometric identity system.
This effort drove up the number of enrollments from the 63.48 million recorded as of December 2024.
According to the latest figures from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most active years for BVN registration since 2021.
Over the past four years, BVN growth has maintained a steady upward trend: from 51.9 million in 2021, enrollments rose by 7.9 per cent to 56 million in 2022, followed by a 7.4 per cent increase to 60.1 million in 2023.
Growth moderated slightly in 2024, with a 5.6 per cent rise, but the 4.3 per cent increase already recorded by mid-2025 suggests this year could surpass last year’s total by December.
The NRBVN enables Nigerians living abroad to enroll for BVNs remotely, eliminating the need to visit bank branches in Nigeria.
At a cost of $50, the initiative has significantly broadened the system’s reach and strengthened diaspora engagement with the country’s formal financial services.
The spike in non-resident enrollments has also been supported by stricter Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements across the banking sector and deeper collaboration with fintechs that streamline the onboarding process.
Together, these efforts have reinforced the BVN’s role as a cornerstone of digital identity and financial inclusion in Nigeria.
Alongside the rise in BVN registrations, the banking sector is witnessing increased account activity.
As of March 2025, the number of active bank accounts reached an all-time high of 320.053 million.
Dormant accounts stood at 33.4 million, while 29.4 million accounts had been closed.
This compares to slightly lower figures in February, which recorded 316.8 million active accounts, 19.9 million dormant accounts, and 33.3 million closures.
The rebound in March points to a growing number of Nigerians re-engaging with the formal banking system, aligning with broader efforts by financial institutions and regulators to promote access, trust, and compliance within the financial sector.
Zenith Bank Plc on Tuesday rewarded Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, with ₦200 million for winning the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship.
L-R: Executive Director, Mr. Henry Oroh; Executive Director; Mr. Louis Odom; D’Tigress Captain, Amy Okonkwo; President, NBBF, Engr. Musa Kida; Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive, Zenith Bank Plc., Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON; Head Coach, D’Tigress, Rena Wakama; Executive Director, Mrs. Adobi Nwapa and Executive Director, Mr. Akin Ogunranti during the reception hosted by Zenith Bank to celebrate D’Tigress’ 2025 Afrobasket Women’s Championship triumph in Abuja, yesterday.
The reception, held at the bank’s head office in Maitama, Abuja, was organised to honour the team for clinching a historic fifth consecutive AfroBasket title.
Each player is expected to receive ₦10 million, which will be paid into their Zenith Bank accounts, while the technical crew and other officials will share the balance.
D’Tigress defeated Mali 78–64 in the final played in Abidjan on Sunday. The team returned to Nigeria on Monday and was received by President Bola Tinubu, who conferred National Honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on the players and gave them cash rewards.
Zenith Bank has sponsored the Women National Basketball League for 18 years, with several players and officials of the current team having passed through the league.
Among them are Murjanatu Musa, MVP of the Air Warriors team that won the 2022 league title, and Ifunnaya Okoro. The team’s head coach, Rena Wakama, also played in the league with First Bank Women Basketball Club.
Present at the reception were Zenith Bank Executive Directors Adobi Nwapa, Akin Ogunranti, Henry Oroh and Louis Odom.
Also in attendance were the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Musa Kida, and other board members.
Speaking at the event, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, commended the team for their performance and reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting women’s basketball in Nigeria.
“Your victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket is not just a win for Nigeria, it is a win for African sports,” she said.
Responding on behalf of the team, captain and tournament MVP, Amy Okonkwo, thanked Zenith Bank for its continued support for women’s basketball in the country.Zenith Bank Plc
Dr. Emomotimi Agama, Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Nigeria, has said that West Africa is fast emerging as a global epicentre for virtual asset adoption, propelled by a young, tech-savvy population and macroeconomic instability.
Speaking at the West Africa Compliance Summit organised by the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) in Praia, Cape Verde, Dr. Agama warned that while the region’s embrace of digital currencies is accelerating, the absence of coordinated regulation leaves it vulnerable to financial crimes and illicit capital flows.
“With over 60 percent of West Africa’s population under the age of 25 and mobile-first fintech platforms thriving, the region has become a global hotspot for virtual asset adoption,” he said. “But we must act decisively. Regulation is not optional, it is an imperative.”
The summit, themed “Adapting and Thriving in a Complex and Evolving Compliance Landscape,” brought together financial regulators, compliance professionals, and security experts to explore the challenges posed by the rapid rise of virtual assets and decentralised finance (DeFi).
Dr. Agama disclosed that crypto transactions in Nigeria alone surpassed $56 billion in 2024, with citizens increasingly turning to stablecoins such as USDT and USDC to hedge against volatile local currencies. He highlighted the growing trend of “crypto-dollarisation,” noting that young professionals now demand salaries in stablecoins, while businesses are adopting platforms like Binance Pay for cross-border transactions.
“The naira’s depreciation, Ghana’s cedi weakness, and persistent forex shortages have fueled this shift,” he explained. “Traditional remittance channels charge up to 10 percent in fees, while cryptocurrencies offer faster and cheaper alternatives. Over $20 billion in remittances flowed into West Africa last year through crypto channels.”
However, he also cautioned that the same innovations driving financial efficiency are increasingly being exploited by fraudsters and criminal actors. He cited GIABA’s report of $2.1 billion in suspicious crypto-related transactions across West Africa in 2024 alone, including the use of privacy coins by terror financiers to evade detection.
“Unregulated exchanges, artificial market crashes, DeFi ‘rug pulls,’ and Ponzi schemes have wiped out billions in investor funds,” he said. “The recent collapse of the CBEX Ponzi platform is just one of many such incidents. Strong regulation and regional coordination are the only path forward.”
Dr. Agama pointed to Nigeria’s recent legislative progress, especially the enactment of the Investment and Securities Act 2025, which formally classifies virtual assets—including cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, utility tokens, and NFTs—as securities under Section 355(4) and Part I of the Second Schedule.
“Under the new law, all exchanges, wallets, and DeFi platforms must be licensed by the SEC,” he stated. “We’ve also established a Fintech and Innovation Department to facilitate ongoing dialogue with industry stakeholders and adapt our regulations to emerging realities.”
He called on West African governments to harmonise regulatory frameworks and strengthen intelligence-sharing, proposing a Unified Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) Licensing System under the ECOWAS framework.
“A crypto trader banned in Nigeria should not find safe haven in Ghana,” he asserted. “Financial crime knows no borders. Our collective future depends on our ability to secure this emerging financial frontier.”
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