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Sterling Bank, LEAP Africa plan development of 1,000 SMEs

Sterling Bank Plc is supporting LEAP Africa to train more than 1,000 operators of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) at the 12th yearly CEOs’ Forum holding in Lagos today.

The Chief Marketing Officer, Sterling Bank, Henry Bassey, said the bank is particularly excited to partner with LEAP Africa on this programme because this year it decided to amplify its focus on SMEs, as it has been positioned as a start-up bank.

Sterling Bank Plc is supporting LEAP Africa to train more than 1,000 operators of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) at the 12th yearly CEOs’ Forum holding in Lagos today.

The programme, which has the theme: “Managing Growth for Profitability,” is aimed at developing dynamic, innovative and upcoming African leaders.It is also intended for participants to gain key insights from leading industry professionals and entrepreneurs on effective growth strategies for growing highly profitable businesses.

The Chief Marketing Officer, Sterling Bank, Henry Bassey, said the bank is particularly excited to partner with LEAP Africa on this programme because this year it decided to amplify its focus on SMEs, as it has been positioned as a start-up bank.

He said identifying partnerships with companies like LEAP Africa would further reinforce the bank’s ability to achieve its goals better.The Founder of LEAP Africa, Mrs. Ndidi Nwuneli, thanked Sterling Bank for supporting her company for the past two years to organise the annual event. She said the decision on the theme for this year’s programme was “because it’s been a tough 24 months for SMEs in Nigeria because of the challenges facing the country.”

Nwuneli said the company really believed that despite the challenges, SMEs can survive in Nigeria if they have the right business fundamentals, adding that the theme of the forum is really focused on how an entrepreneur can grow his company profitably.

According to her, companies in Nigeria can grow profitably by putting in place the right systems and structures, governance, the right human resources, strategies because talent is key to success, the right financial systems, control and financial management tools as well as innovation.

Also speaking, the Director of Programmes, LEAP Africa, Femi Taiwo, said the annual CEOs forum brings more than 1,000 SMEs to discuss issues relating to business growth and management yearly.

He said it has been so for 11 years and this year, it will be a bigger version that would discuss people’s management, financial management, innovation and marketing, adding that everything is geared towards managing growth for profitability.

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