Female Exporters To Access Interest-free Loans

Female exporters across the country will have access to interest free loans through the SheVentures Export Readiness Programme of First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

The new initiative is to support women-owned businesses in Nigeria looking to expand into global markets, even as the programme will give participants access to insightful knowledge, focused advisory, and zero-interest loans to fund their export trade logistics.

According to the managing director of FCMB, Mrs. Yemisi Edun,

“Our mission with the SheVentures Export Readiness Programme is to support women-owned businesses to export their products and services worldwide.

“We provide interest-free loans, training, and mentoring to help overcome common challenges such as lack of financial resources and knowledge gap. Our ultimate goal is to empower Nigerian Small and Medium Enterprises(SMEs) to scale beyond their local markets by connecting them with other businesses globally and leveraging the vast opportunities of globalisation.”

The SheVentures Export Readiness Programme, she said, is open to all women-owned SMEs in Nigeria who are interested in reaching new markets and growing their businesses. The program will include a series of training modules on topics such as export market research, product development, and export documentation. Participants will also have the opportunity to receive one-on-one mentoring from experienced exporters.

“Nigerian businesswomen face many challenges in their quest to grow successful businesses. That is why FCMB is giving added support to businesswomen who own or run a business in Nigeria, providing the support they need to thrive. The SheVentures Export Readiness Programme is a game-changer for Nigerian women entrepreneurs, empowering them to scale globally and bridge the capacity and financial gap hindering their full potential,” said, the head of Women in Business (SheVentures) at FCMB, Ms. Yetunde Moito,

FCMB SheVentures has, over the past four years, impacted the female economy through its various initiatives for women SMEs. The bank has offered up to N1billion in zero-interest loans to hundreds of women SMEs nationwide and supported thousands of female entrepreneurs through free training, mentorship, and capacity-building programmes.

The SheVentures Export Readiness Programme strategically aligns with the government’s efforts to boost the nation’s non-oil exports and foreign exchange earnings. The programme empowers women entrepreneurs to actively contribute to realising this important national goal.