Fidelity Bank Commits Finance, Training and Market Access at Kano SME Forum

Fidelity Bank Plc reiterated its dedication to nurturing the growth and sustainability of small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) at the Kano edition of its Quarterly Business Forum, gathering entrepreneurs, business owners, industry stakeholders and customers to discuss practical strategies for growth and resilience.

Under the theme “Positioning Northern Businesses for Growth,” the forum offered participants valuable insights on strengthening operations, improving financing access, enhancing financial management and seizing opportunities to drive sustainable enterprise development across Northern Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Sufiyanu Garba, Executive Director, North, Fidelity Bank Plc, described Northern Nigeria as a vital engine of the nation’s economic future and emphasized the need to unlock the region’s vast entrepreneurial potential through strategic support and partnerships.

“The North holds a critical position in Nigeria’s economic future, boasting vast agricultural resources, a strong trading culture, manufacturing capacity and a large consumer market. Fidelity Bank remains committed to helping businesses unlock this potential through financing, market access, advisory support and strategic partnerships,” he said.

Garba added that the Quarterly Business Forum demonstrates the Bank’s commitment to empowering businesses beyond mere financing.

“Supporting businesses lies at the heart of our purpose, and we aspire to be more than a funder. We aim to be a trusted partner that understands businesses and supplies the financing, knowledge, connections and solutions they need to grow. Kano and the wider North possess the talent, enterprise and resources to lead Nigeria’s economic future, and Fidelity Bank is committed to supporting that growth,” he emphasized.

In her remarks, Mrs. Ugochi Osinigwe, Divisional Head of SME Banking at Fidelity Bank Plc, said the Quarterly Business Forum was created as a platform for direct engagement with entrepreneurs to understand the realities facing businesses across key sectors of the economy.

“This forum is more than an engagement; it is a listening platform. We are here to deepen relationships, understand the unique challenges businesses face across sectors and hear directly from entrepreneurs how we can serve them better. Our commitment extends beyond traditional banking, as we continue to offer products, advisory services and partnerships that help businesses build, scale and thrive,” she said.

Osinigwe also highlighted the Bank’s commitment to lowering the cost of doing business for entrepreneurs through zero‑maintenance‑fee accounts and free capacity‑building programmes that equip business owners with practical skills in business structuring, record‑keeping, financial management and access to finance.

“We invest heavily in training because many SMEs struggle due to limited knowledge of essential business practices. Through our physical and digital learning platforms, we help entrepreneurs develop the skills needed to become more structured, sustainable and bankable,” she noted.

Forum participants praised Fidelity Bank for creating a platform that delivers practical business insights and fosters meaningful engagement with entrepreneurs.

Mr. Okereke Ignatus Mmbonye, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of I.G. Best Company, noted that Fidelity Bank’s support for SMEs goes beyond financing.

“Fidelity Bank has shown that its commitment to SMEs extends beyond access to credit. Platforms like this provide valuable knowledge and connections that can make a real difference for growing businesses,” he said.

Similarly, Mr. Sufiyanu Salisu Ahmad, Managing Director of Nabila Oil Mills, praised the Bank for creating opportunities for direct engagement between financial institutions and the business community.

“I appreciate Fidelity Bank for creating this platform to engage directly with entrepreneurs and understand the challenges we face. It is encouraging to see a bank adopt such a practical approach to supporting businesses,” Ahmad stated.

The Quarterly Business Forum is part of Fidelity Bank’s broader commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s SME ecosystem through access to finance, enterprise development, financial education, financial inclusion and strategic business support. Recall that the Bank recently won the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) Service Ambassadors Award for the Highest Impact on MSMEs Accessing Credit for the First Time, in recognition of its contribution to deepening financial inclusion, improving access to credit and supporting enterprise growth.

Ranked among Nigeria’s leading banks, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full‑service commercial deposit money bank serving over 10 million customers via its digital banking channels, 255 business offices across Nigeria, and its United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.

The Bank has received numerous local and international awards, including the 2025 Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) Innovation Award for MSME Support; the Best Retail and SME Bank Award from Independent Newspapers; Best Bank for Export & Trade Finance and Most Innovative Bank of the Year at the 2025 BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; and Nigeria’s Best Private Bank at the 2025 Euromoney Awards. It also earned the inaugural Most Improved Commercial Bank of the Year Award from Nairametrics, the SME Bank of the Year Award from NewsDirect, the Straight‑Through Processing (STP) Excellence Award from Citi Group, and recognition by Global Brands Magazine for Excellence in Community Empowerment.

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