Africa’s retail giant, Access Bank Plc, has made a firm commitment to continually providing support and empowerment to women working in the event industry.
The financial institution expressed this during a symposium with female professionals. The discussion revolved around the theme of ” Stepping into the spotlight, empowering women in the event sector,” which took place yesterday at the bank’s headquarters in Lagos.
Access Bank emphasised the critical role of women in this sector, highlighting the need to provide support for their advancement and prosperity through avenues such as financial aid, mentorship initiatives, and networking platforms.
Speaking at the roundtable discussion for women within the event sector, the group head of Women Banking at Access Bank Plc, Abiodun Olubitan, said the whole purpose of the W initiative is to empower, connect, and inspire all women in the event industry.
The industry has proven to control over $2 billion annually, and we think that it is something that we need to pay attention to. They probably had not been in the spotlight before, so we are bringing them into the spotlight.
We have different representatives of the association. From DJs, caterers, and decorators to the planners, masters of ceremonies, and anyone else you could think of
As a bank, we don’t want to offer them something that does not exactly meet the needs of their market. We want them to also share with us what they would prefer to have. And this is the essence of this roundtable discussion so that we can support their businesses to grow faster than one probably would on its own.
Most of the people talk about loans and training, which we have at Access Bank. However, we might not call it a loan for caterers. But a big umbrella body of loans, which we call the W-Power Loan, is available for market expansion or business expansion, as the case may be, and that is why we are not trying to bring it to their attention.
On the rebranding and repositioning, the founder of Bolanle the Story Teller, Bolanle Olosunde-Jenrola, encourages women to take advantage of the opportunity the internet offers.
According to her, the entire global population is now interconnected through the internet. Previously, it was more challenging to reach a wider audience. Traditionally, only individuals within one’s immediate circle, such as community members, church members, mosque attendees, or neighbours, would support and engage with one’s services. However, the online platform now provides the opportunity for individuals from any corner of the world to discover and engage with your offerings, contingent upon how effectively you present and market your services.
Despite this shift, there are still individuals who seek guidance on how to effectively promote themselves in the digital sphere. “My advice to them is to establish a strong online presence, consistently showcase your services, and increase visibility to attract your target audience.
“Nevertheless, to achieve success, your services must be of high quality. Develop a distinctive brand identity, and once this foundation is established, other components will naturally fall into place. Customers will be drawn to you as there is a demand for exceptional event solutions, and those who excel in this area will undoubtedly prosper.”
