Owing to the role of the informal sector in the development of nations, three governors from the South West have agreed to participate in the Fidelity Bank Regional SME conference scheduled to take place in Ibadan on Thursday.
Fidelity Bank in recognition that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is the engine room of the economy inform the conference designed to proffer solution to the challenges faced by SMEs in the country.
The Governors – Abiola Ajimobi, of Oyo, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun alongsidewho their commissioners and state officials will use the platform to highlight their plans at developing the sector in their respective states.
The conference themed “Positioning SMEs for Growth in the South-West Region” is to provide insightful access to a range of key factors affecting the development of SMEs in Nigeria.
Operators in the sector will benefit from the experiences of wide array of SME development stakeholders to have a deeper understanding of Fidelity’s innovative range of SME-tailored products and services; access to robust advisory/networking platform that could open new doors and opportunities.
The platform will also celebrate past guests that have appeared on the Fidelity SME Forum radio.
Specifically, the conference is targeted at the South West as the region seeks to reposition itself to cushion the impact of the prevailing economic condition occasioned by the steep decline in global oil price.
Managing Director Fidelity Bank Plc., Nnamdi Okonkwo explained that the theme of the conference is apt and at the heart of the Bank’s commitment to building entrepreneurs in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy by Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The conference that is described by industry observers as the biggest gathering of budding and established entrepreneurs in the region, will also provide participants with valuable insights on how to harness export potentials and business opportunities in the zone.
Afe Babalola, founder, Afe Babalola University is the distinguished guest of honour at the conference that will also help small businesses optimize economic opportunities which their immediate environments offer.
Interestingly, M.A. Salami, Zonal Coordinator, Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Akure, is expected to deliver a paper on ‘Positioning SMEs for Export in the South-West Zone’.
Makanjuola Ojewunmi, Managing Director, Greenfield Limited will lead deliberations in a special panel discussion entitled: “Succeeding Against all Odds – Business Experience Sharing”.
Discussions in this session will focus essentially on the unique stories of each panelist with special focus on how they overcame setbacks to become model entrepreneurs.
Other top entrepreneurs in attendance include: Taiwo Ayoade, DMD, Agro Traders Limited; Odukoya Taofik Oladipupo; Founder/CEO, Vanguard Pharmacy Limited; Adeolu Akinyemi; MD/CEO, A2W Limited; Olayato Aribo, MD/CEO, Micmakain Nigeria Limited.
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