Fidelity Bank’s EMP 18 set to launch entrepreneurs into global trade

L-R: Director, Export Management Program, Lagos Business School, Prof Frank Ojadi; Team Member, Export & Agriculture Division, Fidelity Bank Plc, Stella Nwuke; Managing Partner, Peony Dynamic Resource Limited, Emem Bassy; and Team Lead, Export & Agriculture Division, Fidelity Bank Plc, Emmanuel Nwalor; at the closing ceremony of the 18th edition of the Fidelity Bank Export Management Programme (EMP 18) held at the Lagos Business School recently.

Stanley Ihedigbo

In a bid to diversify Nigeria’s economy, Fidelity Bank Plc has organized the 18th edition of its Export Management Programme (EMP 18), a comprehensive training initiative designed to enhance the competitiveness of non-oil exporters.

The programme, which was held recently in Lagos provided a platform for entrepreneurs interested in exploring global trade opportunities to scale and acquire relevant expertise.

Hosted in partnership with the Lagos Business School (LBS), the 5-day intensive program focused on equipping entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge needed to explore international market opportunities and strengthen their capacity to thrive in the export sector.

“At Fidelity Bank, our strategy to enhance non-oil exports is guided by the significant opportunities it offers to our customers and the national economy. This is why we offer a comprehensive suite of financial, advisory, and market-access solutions for businesses aiming to engage in international trade.

“Our market-access initiative, EMP, launched in 2016, has trained over 1,600 entrepreneurs. Today, we completed the 18th cohort with high-caliber participants and a 150% oversubscription. This indicates a promising future for Nigeria’s non-oil exports,” explained, Divisional Head of Export and Agriculture at Fidelity Bank Plc, Isaiah Ndukwe.

Facilitated by key industry experts in the exports space, EMP 18 took participants through several sessions focused on critical areas in global trade such as Export Finance Instruments, Export Documentation, Accessibility of Export Markets, amongst others.

A key feature of the training was a facility tour of one of Nigeria’s busiest Export Processing Terminals (EPT) located in Ikorodu, Lagos state. The full-day visit, which was anchored by officials of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), gave participants a first-hand feel of the necessary procedure and requirements for securing regulatory approval for exporting from Nigeria.

One of the program participants, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Alliance & Frontier Limited, Patrick Ulayi Awu-Patricks, commended Fidelity Bank for its leadership in deploying capacity-building initiatives in the non-oil exports sector. In a discussion with journalists, he stated that EMP 18 provided invaluable exposure to the opportunities in the export business noting that, “There are lots of non-oil exports opportunities and entrepreneurs must be able to identify and capitalize on these to be able to play effectively in the international trade space. This course has given me insights into the power of data which is essential for strategic decision-making.”