Access Bank, She Leads collaborate to assist female entrepreneurs

Access Bank Plc, in partnership with She Leads Africa, have concluded the first phase of a Facebook programme to assist female entrepreneurs leverage digital platforms to drive growth in their businesses.

The programme, which has the theme: “#SheMeansBusiness’’ is aimed at scaling up the skills of small business owners to leverage social media platforms in accessing more markets in Nigeria and beyond.

It kicked off in June with over 500 female business owners trained in Abuja, Lagos, Enugu and Ibadan.

Speaking on the programme, Victor Etuokwu, Executive Director, Retail Banking, Access Bank Plc, said the bank was always at the forefront of leveraging technology to drive emerging businesses.

“The idea behind this partnership and empowerment programme is to give our SME customers an opportunity to expand their access to market and increase their visibility to potential customers.

“There are over two billion people on Facebook globally and over 65 billion WhatsApp messages exchanged globally on a daily basis.

“With the right knowledge, our customers can showcase their products to large audiences as well as get leads that will take their businesses forward,” he said.

Adeyemi Adedayo, She Leads Africa’s Digital Marketing Trainer, said the programme was designed for women to upscale and boost their businesses, using Facebook’s family apps, including Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram.

Adedayo said feedback from the business owners engaged thus far had been tremendous, adding that the initiative had birthed futuristic businesses that would drive the economy.

The second phase of the Access Bank, Facebook and She Leads Africa training will continue in Abeokuta on July 17; Jos on July 23, and Benin, July 26, respectively.