Fidelity Bank, a leading financial institution, has unveiled the Fidelity SME Hub, a dedicated physical facility for Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs in the creative sector.
The multipurpose facility will feature training halls, meeting rooms, networking spaces, podcast rooms, and music, photography, and content production studios.
According to Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, the Fidelity SME Hub is the bank’s latest non-financial solution for SME growth.
The facility is designed to foster innovation, collaboration, and capacity-building, vital elements necessary for strengthening Nigeria’s SME ecosystem and driving economic growth.
Located in the heart of Lagos, the Fidelity SME Hub will provide entrepreneurs with networking and stakeholder engagement initiatives, as well as access to industry experts and mentors for hands-on guidance and business advice. A key feature of the facility is the Creativerse, a well-equipped space for entrepreneurs in the creative industry.
The bank has also announced the launch of dedicated courses to be hosted at the SME Hub, covering areas such as financial management, digital transformation, marketing, and business growth strategies. Additionally, a fully-fledged creative academy will be established to cover courses on music production, website design, mobile videography, and photography.
Onyeali-Ikpe explained that the Fidelity SME Hub will not only empower small businesses but also support the government’s economic diversification drive by increasing the contribution of SMEs to Nigeria’s non-oil GDP.
The bank anticipates that content creators will unlock new revenue streams in entertainment, digital media, and arts, an industry already contributing 2.3% to GDP.
Fidelity Bank is a full-fledged customer commercial bank serving over 8.5 million customers through its 255 business offices in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, as well as through digital banking channels.
The bank has garnered multiple local and international awards, including the Best SME Bank Nigeria 2022 by the Global Banking and Finance Awards.