BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

First Bank Nigeria Plc, has announced its maiden edition of  SMEs conference, with a view  to empowering entrepreneurs and SMEs in the country.

The conference , which will highlight challenges and opportunities for small businesses is scheduled to begin tomorrow November 26, , with the theme: “SMEs at the heart of National Development: Creativity, Capacity and Capital”.

The critical role of SMEs as the engine of growth in the economy, providing employment to thousands of people and contributing significantly to the gross domestic product (GDP) makes the conference a timely platform for repositioning the nation’s SMEs for sustained growth, said, Executive Director Retail Banking South, First Bank, Mr. Gbenga Shobo.

Shobo added that the conference will have two panel sessions that will address access to capital, leveraging creativity and deepening capacities, among others.

“Creativity is at the heart of entrepreneurship and all SMEs require some measure of this to birth their companies and continue to evolve and grow their businesses. Growth is not possible without building capacity in each sector by the acquisition of necessary skills and human resources to drive the business.

“Expansion can only be funded by acquiring the capital to invest in the business and take it to the next level of operation,” she said.

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola will play host, Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Mr. Segun Aganga, Guest of Honour, while CEO, SOKOA Chair Centre, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika and CEO, Konga.com, Mr. Sim Shagaya are keynote speakers.

Awosika is an entrepreneur and founder of Chair Centre Group with an experience in manufacturing and retail services that will drive conversations around capacity development in the sector and the opportunities available to entrepreneurs across the entire retail value chain. Shagaya, is founder of Konga.com and DealDey.com, with 11 years of management and entrepreneurial experience.