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FirstBank Hosts SME Clinic, Reiterates its Commitment to Building Capacity of SMEs
First Bank of Nigeria Limited has reiterated its commitment to driving growth and building the capacity of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the country.
Speaking at the FirstBank SMEConnect Business Clinic, held in Lagos on Thursday, the Group Head, Lagos Island 1, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Olufunke Smith stated that the business clinic provides an opportunity for SMEs to understand how to develop their business plans, and run their business. It is one of the key initiatives that the bank has put in place to drive development of the SMEs. She further noted that the Bank’s SMEs proposition is based on seven pillars that would connect SMEs to- capacity building, market, infrastructure, talent for business development, policy and regulation, finance and resources.
According to her, “Building the capacities of SMEs is an ongoing process. SMEs are the engine of growth of any society. At FirstBank it is our responsibility to bring them on-board through support, knowledge sharing, and advisory in order for them to add value to the society. The SMEs attending the clinics today have gone through a selection process and it is the first of 2020, there will be more clinics to be held in the course of the year.
“SMEs are the bedrock of economic growth of any society. It is when you have functional SMEs that the country can grow. It is noteworthy to mention here that SMEs are great employers of labour. When you have viable SMEs they provide various services and innovations that traditional corporations may not provide. These strongly underscore our commitment – at FirstBank – to strengthening their impact on the economy.
“This clinic is part of giving back to the society, thereby ensuring we continue to develop SMEs. FirstBank has recognised that for it to serve SMEs adequately there is a need to offer more than traditional banking services. We know that connecting SMEs to the right information and business tools can save turnaround time, cost and give them a competitive edge in the sector that they operate. It is on this knowledge that we have created value propositions for SMEs that cover financial and non-financial services.”
We expose SMEs to the best deals and they have access to tools that position them at an advantage for growth.”
In his remarks, the Managing Partner, Traction, Dolapo Adejuyigbe, said “we have a coaching marketplace that SMEs can come on our platform and even firstbank platform to book vetted coaches that can provide advisory services to them either for one session or a number of sessions. We also consider re-emerging how our business clinics can work and how to bring insights and make it practical. The FirstBank business diagnostic tool enables SMEs identify the needs, especially operational, of their business and the business clinic is designed in such a way we can follow up on the impacts and also track the business after three to six months. The focus of this business clinic is to help them design the strategy for 2020. A core part of that is for them to understand the economic trends, and we have catered for different kinds of businesses and how the economy is going to impact them.”
In his remarks, one of the speakers at the event, Gospel Obele, said the clinic provided an opportunity to develop a business and market outlook for SMEs, stating that the goal was to scale economic knowledge into useable insights for SMEs.
Commending FirstBank on the SME Clinic, Obele noted that the event exposed SMEs to lots of opportunities for their business growth like how the Nigerian business environment is going to look like through the year as well as the transition dynamics of the consumer.”
He said: “Examining strategy from the outlook that was presented today, it is more of how SMEs rework their internal systems to respond to the changing environment that we have. Nigeria is a high fluid and dynamic economy which means that our own business environment is changing faster than advanced economies”
One of the participants at the clinic, Tayo Oginni, President/CEO, International Energy Market Place Ltd., said attending the seminar provided background knowledge on how to develop a road map for setting up a business in a structured manner.
He asserted that the business clinic taught SMEs the things to be aware of when starting a business, “the facilitator created an atmosphere of things that need to be done. I will strongly recommend that SMEs need this kind of intervention.”
Ogini also lauded FirstBank and Traction for organising the clinic, noting that one of the key areas discussed at the clinic was financing where SMEs were taught that cash flow is key in business, therefore they have to watch their cash flow.
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO Plc) is pleased to announce the 9th edition of the GTCO Food and Drink Festival, scheduled to hold from Friday, May 1st to Sunday, May 3rd, 2026, at GTCentre, Plot 1 Water Corporation Drive, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.Geographic Reference
This year’s theme, “Everything Food and Drink,” captures the expansive nature of the Festival experience. It reflects not only the variety of cuisines on display but also the depth of stories behind them. Over the years, the GTCO Food and Drink Festival has grown far beyond a seasonal celebration to become a culturally significant platform where food and drink serve as a meeting point for storytelling, innovation, and opportunity. The Festival will feature 204 free retail stalls, showcasing the rich diversity and creativity of our food culture; from time-honoured traditional dishes preserved across generations, to bold contemporary interpretations of global cuisine, creating space for every flavour, every technique, and every craving to find expression.
Visitors can expect a rich programme featuring interactive masterclasses, live culinary demonstrations, food and wine tastings, and a vibrant marketplace showcasing small and medium-scale food businesses alongside established culinary brands. In addition to its wide range of food and drink offerings, the GTCO Food and Drink Festival is renowned for its family-friendly atmosphere, with a well-equipped play area and a variety of engaging activities for children, ensuring an unforgettable experience for the whole family.
Speaking ahead of the 2026 edition, the Group Chief Executive Officer of GTCO Plc, Segun Agbaje, emphasized the Festival’s continued evolution as both a cultural and economic enabler: “The GTCO Food and Drink Festival has, over the years, become a living expression of what we stand for as an institution: innovation, opportunity, and enterprise that is accessible to all. What makes this platform special is not just its scale, but its humanity. It brings together people from different walks of life around something universal—food and drink—and in doing so, it breaks barriers and builds connections that extend far beyond the event itself.”
Since inception, the GTCO Food and Drink Festival has positioned itself as one of Africa’s most prominent culinary gatherings, attracting participation from across Nigeria and increasingly from the wider continent and diaspora.
Admission remains free and open to all, reaffirming the Festival’s commitment to accessibility as a consumer-focused event that brings people together through food, drink, culture, and enterprise.
For more information on the event, please visit: https://foodanddrink.gtcoplc.com
Leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has announced the signing of a strategic partnership agreement with Aircraft Finance Germany (AFG) to advance the aviation sector in Nigeria and across Africa by both organisations.
The agreement was formally executed by Mr. Christian Hatje, Managing Director, Business Aviation and SVP Commercial, representing AFG; and Mr. Stanley Amuchie, Executive Director and Chief Operations and Information Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc at a signing ceremony in Germany recently.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Christian Hatje stated, “This partnership marks a significant milestone in our commitment to Africa’s aviation future. Partnering with Fidelity Bank, Nigeria’s leading aviation financier, we are confident in our ability to structure solutions that will drive meaningful growth across the sector.”
Through this partnership, both institutions will work closely to identify, finance, and grow aviation opportunities across the continent. The collaboration aims to provide innovative leasing and financing solutions that support airlines, aviation operators, and related stakeholders in expanding capacity, modernizing fleets, and strengthening operational and fleet efficiency.
“Fidelity Bank remains dedicated to supporting the aviation industry through tailored financial solutions. Our collaboration with AFG strengthens our capacity to provide sustainable financing that will contribute to the expansion of aviation in Nigeria and across Africa,” explained Mr. Stanley Amuchie.
This partnership reflects a shared vision to foster long-term development, stimulate investment, and create sustainable opportunities within the African aviation industry.
Nigeria remains a strategic hub for aviation development in Africa. By combining AFG’s leasing expertise with Fidelity Bank’s deep sector knowledge and financial strength, the partnership is positioned to unlock new growth pathways and enhance the sustainability of the aviation ecosystem.
This collaboration in Africa forms part of AFG’s broader global portfolio expansion strategy, reflecting the company’s continued commitment to structured aviation investments across multiple international markets.
Fidelity Bank is regarded as a market-leader in the Nigerian aviation industry with a long list of interventions across the value chain. Its aviation finance solutions support aircraft acquisition and leasing, route expansion, aviation infrastructure development, cargo and export enablement; and partnership structures for large projects.
Re-affirming Unrivalled Capacity to Creating Value₦ Lagos, London – 31st March 2026Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (“GTCO” or the “Group”) has released its Audited Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2025, to the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) and London Stock Exchange (LSE).The Group reported profit before tax of 1.23trillion underpinned by strong growth in core earnings, with interest₦ income and fee income increasing y-o-y by 23.2% and 25.9%, respectively. The performance reaffirms its capacity to generate sustainable earnings and builds on the momentum from 2024, when GTCO delivered a record profit of 1.27trillion, driven in part by 517.5billion in fair value gains, which did not recur in 2025.₦ ₦The Group’s 2025 profit after tax came in at 865.75billion against 1.02trillion recorded in 2024. The profit after tax₦ ₦ reflects the impact of recent fiscal policy adjustments to the taxation of investment securities, notably withholding tax on short-term instruments. However, when normalised for this effect, underlying earnings remain robust, driven by growth in core operating income. The Group continues to maintain a well-structured, healthy, and diversified balance sheet in all the jurisdictions wherein it operates a Banking franchise, as well as across its Payments, Pension and Funds Management business verticals. Total assets and shareholders’ funds closed at 1₦ 7.8trillion and 3.₦ 4trillion, respectively. Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) remained very robust and strong, closing at 43.8%, likewise asset quality improved as evidenced by IFRS 9 Stage 3 Loans which closed at 3.4% and 5.0% at Bank and Group level in FY-2025 (Bank, 3.5%, and Group, 5.2% in December 2024). Cost of Risk (COR) also improved to 2.2% from 4.9% in December 2024. In specific terms, the Group’s loan book (net) grew by 12.4% from 2.79trillion as of December 2024 to₦ 3.13trillion in December 2025. Similarly, deposit liabilities grew by 23.8% from 10.40trillion to 12.87trillion during₦ ₦ ₦ the same period.Commenting on the results, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said: “Our 2025 result underscores the resilience and depth of our earnings capacity. Following a record 2024, which included significant fair value gains, our focus has been on strengthening the sustainability of our earnings by driving growth across our core banking and ecosystem businesses. The strength of our underlying earnings, despite a stronger Naira and tighter regulatory parameters, reflects the quality of our franchise and the discipline with which we execute our strategy. Importantly, this strong core earnings performance underpins our capacity to sustain and grow shareholder returns. Our record dividend payout this year is not only a reflection of our current profitability but also of our confidence in the Group’s long-term earnings potential. Looking ahead, we remain focused on scaling our ecosystem, driving innovation across our financial services platform, and delivering consistent, high-quality earnings that support superior value creation for our shareholders.”Overall, the Group continues to post one of the best metrics in the Nigerian Financial Services Industry in terms of key financial ratios i.e., Post-Tax Return on Equity (ROAE) of 28.3%, Post-Tax Return on Assets (ROAA) of 5.3%, Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 43.8% and Cost to Income Ratio of 27.9%.Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc is a leading financial services group with operations across Africa and the United Kingdom. Renowned for its strong corporate governance, innovative financial solutions, and customer-centric approach, the Group provides a wide range of banking and non-banking services including payments, funds management, and pension fund administration. GTCO Plc is committed to delivering long-term value to stakeholders while driving growth and development across its markets.
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