Fidelity Bank Plc has renewed its commitment to supporting the growth of businesses in Northern Nigeria, urging entrepreneurs to strengthen their operations, improve financial management and take advantage of emerging opportunities.
The bank made the commitment at its Quarterly Business Forum held in Kano, which brought together entrepreneurs, business owners, industry stakeholders and customers under the theme, “Positioning Northern Businesses for Growth.”
The forum provided participants with practical insights on access to finance, business resilience, financial management, market opportunities and strategies for building sustainable enterprises.
Speaking at the event, Executive Director, North, Fidelity Bank Plc, Sufiyanu Garba, described Northern Nigeria as a critical component of the country’s economic future, citing its agricultural resources, trading culture, manufacturing capacity and large consumer market.
Garba said Fidelity Bank was committed to helping businesses in the region unlock their potential through financing, market access, advisory services and strategic partnerships.
“Supporting businesses is central to our purpose, and our ambition is to be more than a provider of funds. We want to be a trusted partner that understands businesses and provides the financing, knowledge, connections and solutions they need to grow,” he said.
According to him, the Quarterly Business Forum reflects the bank’s approach to supporting businesses beyond the provision of credit.
He said Kano and the wider Northern region possess the talent, enterprise and resources required to play a leading role in Nigeria’s economic development.
Also speaking, Divisional Head, SME Banking, Fidelity Bank Plc, Ugochi Osinigwe, said the forum was designed to create a direct channel for the bank to engage entrepreneurs and understand the challenges confronting businesses across different sectors.
Osinigwe described the forum as a “listening platform,” noting that Fidelity Bank was committed to providing products, advisory services and partnerships that would enable businesses to build, scale and remain sustainable.
She also highlighted the bank’s efforts to reduce the cost of doing business through zero-maintenance-fee account offerings and free capacity-building programmes.
According to her, the training programmes focus on areas such as business structuring, record keeping, financial management and access to finance.
“We invest significantly in training because many SMEs struggle due to limited knowledge of essential business practices. Through our physical and digital learning platforms, we help entrepreneurs develop the skills required to become more structured, sustainable and bankable,” she said.
Participants at the forum commended the bank for providing a platform for direct engagement and practical business education.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of I.G. Best Company, Okereke Ignatus Mmbonye, said Fidelity Bank’s support for SMEs went beyond financing, noting that the forum provided entrepreneurs with useful knowledge and business connections.
Similarly, Managing Director of Nabila Oil Mills, Sufiyanu Salisu Ahmad, commended the bank for creating opportunities for financial institutions and businesses to engage directly.
The Quarterly Business Forum forms part of Fidelity Bank’s broader SME support strategy, which includes access to finance, enterprise development, financial education, financial inclusion and business advisory services.
The bank recently received the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) Service Ambassadors Award for the Highest Impact on MSMEs Accessing Credit for the First Time, recognising its contribution to expanding access to credit and supporting enterprise growth.
Fidelity Bank Plc is a commercial deposit money bank with more than 10 million customers, served through its digital banking channels, 255 business offices across Nigeria and its United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The bank has also received several local and international recognitions, including the 2025 DBN Innovation Award for MSME Support, Best Retail and SME Bank Award from Independent Newspapers, Best Bank for Export & Trade Finance and Most Innovative Bank of the Year at the 2025 BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions Awards, and Nigeria’s Best Private Bank at the 2025 Euromoney Awards.
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