Diamond Bank Plc, a major player in commercial banking in Nigeria with a huge interest in Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) has successfully rounded off the first leg of its ‘Financial Literacy Training for Artisans’ scheme. The scheme is a first-of-its-kind Corporate Sustainability Responsibility (CSR) initiative by a Nigerian Bank, and was organized in collaboration with the Lagos State government.
The training programme, which sought to provide artisans and small business owners with basic information on how to start, nurture and grow their businesses, commenced on Monday, December 2 and ran till Thursday, December 5, 2013 at different Skill Acquisition Centres across Lagos State.
Beneficiaries were enlightened on how to translate their skills into profitable businesses, register their businesses, raise capital, access loans from financial institutions and reach target markets. The training sessions were facilitated by personnel of Diamond Bank Plc as part of its. Employee Volunteer Scheme (EVS).
Uzoma Dozie, Executive Director, Diamond Bank PLC, and one of the facilitators at the trainings, described the scheme as Diamond Bank’s way of giving back to society in a more impactful way.
He said: “Our area of concentration in banking is the MSME and this initiative is a way of further projecting that course. We feel a commitment to create more entrepreneurs and new businesses that will eventually partner with us in the nearest future to create a better economy for our country.”
Mrs Ayona Trimnell, Head, Corporate Communications at Diamond Bank, who was also a facilitator, stated that the scheme is a continuation of the bank’s bid to support and grow MSMEs in Nigeria, an area in which Diamond Bank is a clear leader.
She said: “This initiative is a part of our CSR thrust and a continuation of our bid to increase financial and non-financial offerings in support of MSMEs in Nigeria. We recognize the fact that the jobs are no longer out there and that the answer to this situation is entrepreneurship which is what we are here to encourage through this scheme.”
Beneficiaries at the different Skill Acquisition Centres where the training were held, expressed gratitude to Diamond Bank and affirmed that they had learnt a lot from the sessions.
Michael Johnson Ikeni, a beneficiary at the Anthony Village Skill Acquisition Centre is into Events Management. He confessed that his initial orientation and perspective about his business is already changing as a result of the things he had learned from the training.
Ikeni said: “Initially when we were told that some people were coming I did not want to stay because I thought it would be a waste of time. But I thank God I stayed back. Now I’m already having a change of perspective towards my business, because I have learnt a lot of new things that will definitely impact on my business.” He expressed the hope that other corporate organisations will take a cue from this initiative of Diamond Bank.
Mrs. Trimnell, who noted that many of the participants were university and polytechnic graduates, also disclosed that the scheme is not a one-off project but will be taken to other locations in the nearest future.
Over the years Diamond Bank has continued to blaze the trail in supporting MSMEs in Nigeria, through several empowerment programmes. This has won both local and international recognition for the Bank.
