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Wema Bank Affirms Commitment to SMEs Growth
Wema Bank Plc has once again reaffirmed its commitment to empowering and educating Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with skills and knowledge on current business trends.
Dotun Ifebogun, the Divisional Head, Retail Business, Wema Bank Plc., said this on Friday February 25th at the bank’s first quarter SME webinar series themed ‘From Talent to Wealth: Building your Talent into a Successful Business.’
The webinar, one of the banks’ avenues to bridge the enterprise knowledge gap and grow Nigeria’s SME space, was moderated by Creative consultant and experiential communication coach, Chioma ‘BBB’ Okpala. Featured as panellists were the Chief Digital Officer of Wema Bank, Olusegun Adeniyi; the Deputy General Manager, Creative Industries, Bank of Industry, Uche Cynthia Nwuka and Director, Siren and Suave Entertainment Limited, Oluwole Idowu.
In his opening remarks, Ifebogun stressed the significance of SMEs to the economic growth of any country, and highlighted Wema Bank’s strides in the SME segment and the importance of participating in such knowledge sharing sessions.
“We understand the need to focus on this segment of the economy, and we will continue to support SMEs with funds, help them harness their skills and equip them with knowledge on current business trends to help them upscale. This is our first SME webinar of the year 2022, but the 5th edition we’ve done since we started the SME webinar series”, he said.
Speaking on ‘Developing talent and building it into a successful business, Director, Siren and Suave Entertainment Limited, Oluwole Idowu, said innovators and serious-minded entrepreneurs need first to identify their talents, then market and make revenue from it.
According to Idowu, entrepreneurs and creative artists must market themselves with the channels and tools available and slowly build an online presence.
“As a creative person, you need to put yourself out there continuously; have an Electronic Press Kit (EPK) to showcase your talent and update it frequently. You must make sure that your brand image and perception align with your message. It is easy to get to the top but staying at the top isn’t easy. Build and grow slowly,” he advised the participants.
Idowu further counselled creative artists to see themselves as a product and sell themselves as one. He also told them to be intentional when choosing a manager because it is crucial to harnessing their talent and building a brand.
Reiterating the importance of identifying talent and applying creativity in building a business, Uche Cynthia Nwuka, the Deputy General Manager, Creative Industries, Bank of Industry, said individuals need to identify their talent and conduct market research in the industry they are interested in, as well as develop their character.
“As an SME business, you need to be skilled in your area of interest, understand the key elements of business growth, conduct extensive market research, understand your financial needs, have knowledge of growing a customer base and learn to update yourself. Your talent will drive your business idea, and a good business idea will generate revenue,” she said.
Nwuka further noted that character is a decisive game-changer that can make or mar a business if not well guided. “Talent gets you to the room, while character will keep you in the room,” she concluded.
Olusegun Adeniyi, the Chief Digital Officer, Wema Bank, wrapped up the session, speaking on leveraging technology to build your talent into a successful business.
“Technology is the biggest enabler in today’s world, around which businesses revolve. We have experienced digital disruptions, leading to success stories and improved services across all sectors. In this digital age, building your talent into a successful business requires a high level of creativity and innovation,” he said.
Adeniyi highlighted some of the opportunities for creatives in the entertainment, hospitality, digital marketing, fintech and health care sectors, and also took participants through current industry trends and how the internet has created a broad playing field for business competition.
He urged young innovators and SMEs to focus on building in-demand skills, creating channels to market themselves, protecting themselves through legal guidance, and giving back to society.
The SME-centric Wema Bank has a rich history of supporting SMEs and has, over the years, introduced several initiatives in the SME segment like ALAT for Business platform, funding unique start-ups and creatives through its Hackaholics program, SME Business School, SME loan offerings and many more.
Africa Prudential Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable growth and digital transformation after posting another strong half-year financial performance, driven by robust growth in its core registrar business, technology-driven solutions and increased activity in Nigeria’s capital market.
Speaking during the company’s H1 2026 Investor Call on Tuesday, the management outlined plans to deepen revenue diversification and accelerate innovation as part of efforts to reduce reliance on interest income and strengthen long-term profitability.
The company reported gross earnings of ₦4.28 billion for the first half of 2026, representing a 27 per cent increase from ₦3.34 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Profit before tax rose by 22 per cent to ₦2.41 billion, while profit after tax climbed 18 per cent to ₦1.59 billion.
Net operating income also increased by 27 per cent to ₦4.21 billion, while total assets grew by 13 per cent to ₦46.53 billion. Shareholders’ funds similarly rose by 13 per cent to ₦12.52 billion.
According to the company, the impressive performance was driven by sustained growth in its registrar business, increased corporate actions across the Nigerian capital market, stronger treasury earnings supported by the prevailing interest rate environment and rising adoption of its technology-enabled products and services.African Mineral Wealth
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Catherine Nwosu, said Africa Prudential is steadily evolving from a traditional share registrar into a diversified technology and business solutions provider serving the broader capital market ecosystem.
Addressing concerns from investors about the sustainability of earnings if interest rates decline, Nwosu said the company was deliberately expanding its non-interest income sources.
“Interest rates influence our treasury income positively, but that is why we are deliberately diversifying our revenue streams. Our strategy is to grow recurring fee-based business lines such as our digital solutions, Know Your Customer (KYC) services, AGM technology, probate services and the SabiVest mobile app. Over time, this will reduce our reliance on interest income and create a more balanced and resilient earnings mix,” she said.
She noted that increasing activity in the Nigerian capital market presents fresh opportunities for technology-driven solutions.
“With capital market activity nearly doubling over the past year, demand for seamless digital investor experiences, improved market efficiency and stronger compliance standards continues to grow. We are investing in technology-enabled solutions that position us to capitalise on these opportunities while delivering sustainable value to our shareholders,” she added.
Looking ahead, the company identified five strategic priorities for the second half of 2026, including driving sustainable growth through its core registrar business and new revenue streams, accelerating technology-led product innovation, strengthening brand leadership, investing in talent development and reinforcing corporate governance.
The investor call attracted institutional investors, shareholders, analysts, regulators and other capital market stakeholders, reflecting strong interest in Africa Prudential’s earnings outlook, revenue diversification strategy and long-term growth plans.
News
IHS Nigeria Donates Business-Support Equipment to Empower People with Disabilities in Abuja Community
Communications infrastructure company, IHS Nigeria, has donated business support equipment to empower people with disabilities within the Karonmajiji community in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. This is part of the company’s commitment to drive inclusive community development and sustainable livelihood support under its Project Empower initiative.
The equipment was distributed to beneficiaries during a ceremony held in the community on Monday, July 27. The initiative was conceived following a community needs assessment and is designed to empower active traders by providing them with business tools rather than cash grants, thereby strengthening their businesses and ensuring long-term economic impact and accountability.
Speaking at the event, Director, Sustainability, IHS Nigeria, Titilope Oguntuga, described the initiative as a reflection of the company’s commitment to advancing inclusive development by equipping persons with disabilities with the tools and opportunities needed to build resilient livelihoods.
She explained that rather than providing short-term financial assistance, IHS Nigeria adopted an asset-based approach by donating 50 pieces of business support equipment, including sewing machines, freezers, generators and hairdressing kits, to the selected beneficiaries.
According to her, the intervention is designed to create lasting value by supporting entrepreneurship, promoting self-reliance and strengthening household incomes, while contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
In his opening remarks, the Chief of the Karonmajiji Disabled Community, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammed Katsina, represented by the Secretary of the Community, Alhaji Mohammed Dantani commended IHS Nigeria for its commitment to empowering persons with disabilities through practical and sustainable interventions.
He described the initiative as a demonstration of genuine partnership with the community and expressed appreciation for the company’s continued engagement with the Association, noting that the donation of the equipment was a significant investment in improving the livelihoods of persons with disabilities and would create meaningful economic opportunities for the beneficiaries and their families.
The event brought together traditional rulers, government representatives, leaders and members of the Karonmajiji Disabled Community Association, implementing partners, including Field of Skills and Dreams Vocational Technical and Entrepreneurship (FSD VTE) Training Institute and other community stakeholders, reaffirming a shared commitment to promoting inclusion and sustainable community development.
Project Empower reinforces IHS Nigeria’s commitment to advancing sustainable development through strategic partnerships that promote economic inclusion, strengthen community resilience and create opportunities for underserved communities.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.
Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.
The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.
ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
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