Fidelity Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to developing Africa’s creative economy through financial support, business infrastructure, capacity development and access to international markets.
The bank demonstrated its commitment as an Official Trade Partner at the 2026 edition of the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND), held from November 5 to 8 at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, Lagos.
The four-day event brought together creative entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and other stakeholders to explore investment and business opportunities across Africa’s rapidly expanding creative industries.
Speaking with journalists at the event, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, said the bank’s participation reflected its determination to transform Africa’s creative talents into sustainable and commercially viable enterprises.
She noted that although Africa possesses enormous creative potential, access to funding, infrastructure, skills and markets remained critical to unlocking the sector’s economic value.
According to her, supporting the creative economy requires a broader approach to capital beyond conventional financial assistance.
She explained that this includes investing in human capital through skills development and entrepreneurial training, providing productive capital in the form of equipment and infrastructure, strengthening social and market capital through business networks and customer access, as well as developing institutional capital through sound business structures and financial discipline.
At the event, the bank’s Fidelity CreatiVerse Pavilion provided a platform for showcasing Nigerian creative talents and facilitating business engagements.
The pavilion featured fashion brands OHIOLE LAGOS and SuperDiva by Valerie, alongside works by visual artists Emmanuel Anaiye Ifebunmi and Donald Onuoha.
Financial experts from the bank also engaged visitors on available SME financing options, digital payment solutions, cards, trade and export services, account opening and other banking products.
A major highlight was an SME Banking-led masterclass titled, “Beyond Funding: Building the Infrastructure for Africa’s Creative Economy,” which attracted more than 120 participants.
The session brought together creative industry practitioners and banking professionals to examine challenges affecting the growth of creative enterprises, including access to finance, production facilities, skills development, market opportunities and long-term business sustainability.
Discussions also focused on CreatiVerse, an initiative housed at the Fidelity SME Hub in Gbagada, Lagos, designed to provide creative entrepreneurs with production facilities, learning opportunities and collaborative workspaces.
The facility features music, photography, podcast and content production studios, as well as training and business development opportunities.
The bank said the initiative reflected its ecosystem-based approach to supporting creative businesses by providing resources and services beyond traditional financial offerings.
On international market opportunities, Fidelity Bank highlighted its trade and export banking services and the Fidelity Nigeria International Trade and Creative Connect (FNITCC), an initiative designed to link Nigerian businesses with international buyers, investors and strategic partners.
The bank said the combination of financial solutions, capacity development, production infrastructure and market access would help creative entrepreneurs build stronger businesses and compete more effectively in local and international markets.
Its participation at CANEX WKND 2026 further underscores the growing role of financial institutions in supporting Africa’s creative industries as potential drivers of entrepreneurship, employment generation and economic diversification.
Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged commercial deposit money bank serving more than 14 million customers through digital banking channels and its 255 business offices across Nigeria, as well as its United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The bank has received several local and international recognitions, including the 2025 Development Bank of Nigeria Innovation Award for MSME support and the Best Retail and SME Bank Award from Independent Newspapers.
It also won Best Bank for Export and Trade Finance and Most Innovative Bank of the Year at the 2025 BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions Awards, as well as Nigeria’s Best Private Bank at the 2025 Euromoney Awards.
Other recognitions include the Most Improved Commercial Bank of the Year award by Nairametrics, SME Bank of the Year by NewsDirect, and the Straight-Through Processing Excellence Award by Citi Group.
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