FirstBank Reiterates Commitment to SMEs

The Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, has restated the commitment of the bank towards supporting SMEs.

According to her, the investment of the bank in the SME sector at this period was very strategic and not without a course.

Awosika, who disclosed this in Lagos at the First Bank SME Connect Series, noted that the unemployment challenge facing the country was not going to be solved by the big corporate organisations, adding that entrepreneurs have a strategic role to play in creating value for themselves, and the country through knowledge.

She called on entrepreneurs to make right decisions for their businesses to be competitive.

She described the event as a nation-building investment which would help the next generation of players in the economy to fulfil their dreams and equip them in a sustainable way.

The First Bank Chairman noted that there are factors that make it difficult for a lot of businesses not get to grow.

She said as a bank, FirstBank remains committed to empowering entrepreneurs.

“This is a series that will continue and if you are part of this, then stay with us. Whatever value we present to you, don’t sleep on it, take it, apply it and share it.

“If we don’t solve our social problem, it is not a problem of some but everybody,” she noted.

She further stated that it was important to understand that the responsibility of nation-building belongs to everyone, noting that politics was part of it.

Therefore, she said, “if we build enough people and businesses, it would solve social problems.”

According to her, “Building economic solution for a nation is nation building. As an institution what we seek is a partnership to build our country.