From all my visits to banks in western countries, they are more interested in assisting entrepreneurs in growing their business because they believe the success of the entrpreneur's business is also the success of the bank.

Come to my country Nigeria, some banks are more interested in what is in it for the bank.

As a customer, we approached GTbank with a proposal, they politely declined it, and a month later, re-packaged our proposal into one of their new products.

We shall get to the end of this case. No matter how big a man is, a soldier ant in his trouser will definitely make him pull off the trouser.

In the mean time, please pass this on to every entrepreneur or intending entrepreneur you know.

can you shed more light on this?. . .

@poster,

Kindly made available more details information on your topic?

Guys,

I'll post details up for you later. Keep ur fingers crossed for the development.

I don't need any more details than you have given me to know that what you have posted is real.
These shits happen in Nigeria and its not only GTBank some other banks do it too.

They are supposed to help upcoming enterpreneurs at least partner with them for good comission
instead they will decline your idea, and the next thing you see in the dailies the following week is your idea
well packed as their own product.

In Nigeria, it is not just banks that do stuff like this; Stealing people's proposal is the pastime of most political office holders at all levels of Government.

Your outcry doesn’t come as a surprise to me. I know for sure that Nigerian banks harness every money spinning opportunity in sight. One of the banks my company banks with has colossal investment in the industry we are involved in. I am pretty sure some banks may delve into tomato selling in the near future.

My advice; maybe you ought to have done your ground work thoroughly (intellectual property protection etc) before approaching the bank with your blueprint. Count it as an experience rather than cry over spilt milk.

Maitema

Will keep you guys posted cos where there's a blame, there's a claim.

r u surprised?by now,u should no that when u present proposals in naija,the pple interviewing u are actually their experts, 4yrs ago,i went to celtel to present a theft software that would help reduce fone theft(wen ur fone is stolen,a secret software installed on the fone would retrieve the sim details and send it secretly to 3numbers preset before the theft), on getting that info,the network has to be of assistance), a staffer there actually told me i shouldnt share any more info with then as they are experts and the network benefits from the theft of fones, even if to retrieve a sim is 100naira, so if they still ur fone 5 times thats 500 naira for the network,
as they say:its not wat u know, its wat u can prove,

Hi Shawonlese,

I guess you have picked on the wrong Bank. GTBank is one of the few Banks in Nigeria that practice real banking. Those guys are pure professionals and are ethical in their dealings.

I do not think Nairaland is set up for running organisations down. I want to suggest you take this hatchet job elsewhere. We ain't buying.

GT Bank is one of the banks I have regards for in Nigeria but I believe it is too hasty to conclude that someone is trying to run a business down  here. You simply cannot take a position on issues like this except you have insider knowledge of what actually transpired between all parties to the issue at stake. The complexity of the nature of man/group or entity makes it imperative that facts are verified before a position is taken.

But then , maybe the poster needs to supply us with more information , so that we could make better and informed judgements. I respect GTBank and its people a lot , that it will take a whole lot of convincing for me to believe such story about them . Unless backed up with convincing facts. I bank with them , and can also verify this story from my contacts within the Bank if I have some more information from Shawonlese

@ Walesman: You sound like an employee of GTbank, are you one

"Walesman: You sound like an employee of GTbank, are you one "

I do not think we should diminish the argument here with what you are insinuating. I am not a staff of GTBank, but self-employed. I would have similar views if any other organisation is being maligned publicly without facts.

You may refer to my previous posts on NL to verify the fact that I have remained consistent in this . Being a businessman with interests in some Banks , I have relationships with some of the key staffs who could help verify claims being made against their organisations.

My approach has always been to take the issues to those key staff and come back to NL with my findings. On Shawonlese's claim , he needs to supply more info for one to even begin with.

Objectivity should be our watchword.

SUE! SUE!! SUE!!!

I believe the poster.
Had teh same experience with Ecobank and MTN when i was working in PR.
We took proposals to them, they claimed they werent interested, and then a few months later, started implementing them. The only thing that can save anybody with ideas in this country is to register them. But even then, how effective are the IP laws in this country?

I can't find any case or argument here. You can't just post stories on the net without convincing nitty gritty. Your post may not be useful to people like us because you have only warned us to be careful with GT bank.

This sounds like a strategy employed by bankers recently, DE marketing

ADVISE:
If you think you have a case, please write your lawyer.
Nairaland bloggers can only make sense of your post  if you can proof this beyond  :_{Entrepreneurs, Beware Of Gtbank And Your Proposals!}

@Poster, I do not work in GTBank or even bank with them, few observations here though


1. A month seems to be a short time to turn around "a stolen idea"

2. Wat level of management did u make your presentation to i.e (middle, senior, directors)

3. Did you patent your proposal

Except you provide more information, we would not be able to make accurate suggestions,

At least, start with the product in the market now,