Sterling Bank, EAS Spearhead SME Empowerment Bootcamp For Sustainable Export Businesses

Sterling Bank Limited, has partnered with Export and Sell Nigeria Limited (EAS) to propel small and medium-scale enterprise (SME) operators into the realm of scaleable exports.
The collaboration unfolded through an intensive four-day capacity-building boot camp, attracting an impressive turnout of over 130 export ready businesses participants.
Group head of Agric and Solid Minerals Finance at Sterling Bank, Olushola Obikanye underlined the imperative for capacity building, citing three pivotal factors crucial for the flourishing of the agricultural sector in Nigeria to flourish.

He underscored Nigeria’s need to ensure that domestically produced goods secure access to well-structured markets primed for their uptake, affirming the bank’s unwavering commitment to collaborative endeavours aimed at co-creating products and devising innovative solutions to bolster the private sector’s vitality within the agricultural domain.
Obikanye remarked, “given agriculture’s significant GDP contribution, SMEs represent the most viable intervention avenue in the sector, transcending traditional industry players.”

In a similar vein, head of the commercial banking division at Sterling Bank, Akporee Idenedo elucidated the bank’s broader vision, highlighting its aspiration to foster wealth creation and enrich livelihoods through proactive initiatives.
“We strive to empower entrepreneurs beyond mere financial transactions by nurturing activities geared towards enhancing exports, we catalyse entrepreneurial empowerment,” he added.

Idenedo noted “our conviction lies in the belief that nurturing entrepreneurship leads to wealth generation, and our export conference serves as a pivotal avenue to realise this vision. Given agriculture’s intrinsic link to exports, this platform underscores our commitment to empowering lives, generating wealth, and contributing to Nigeria’s socio-economic advancement.”

Head of SME Products at Sterling Bank, Bolanle Tyson shed light on the boot camp session as a follow-up to the inaugural ‘Export to Wealth’ conference, a collaborative effort between the bank and EAS.

She revealed that the extensive participation in the event exemplifies the burgeoning interest among businesses eager to tap into export opportunities, highlighting the meticulous review of participants’ products to ensure compliance with export and import standards.

Describing the boot camp as a transformative session aimed at facilitating the seamless transition of exportable goods to global markets, Tyson accentuated the event’s broader objective of bolstering Nigeria’s economic prowess and showcasing indigenous products on a global stage.

Tyson pointed out, “the Business Hub, an integral facet of Sterling Bank’s support framework for entrepreneurs, offers comprehensive assistance tailored to diverse business needs. Through this platform, we pledge to guide participants in navigating post-incorporation requirements, ensuring regulatory compliance, and facilitating seamless export procedures.”