In demonstration of its commitment to consistently promote and support the growth and development of the economy and also to deepen its foothold in the retail sector, Keystone Bank Limited recently held another edition of its capacity building training for its customers in Abuja and its environs.

According to the lender, the programme tagged ‘Spark Up Your Brand 2.0’ which was launched in July 2019 and is part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, is designed to teach start-ups on how to position their brands for business growth and make them attractive to investors and for profitability.

Speaking on the initiative, Keystone Bank head of CSR, Izore Bamawo said: “SMEs are established drivers of the strongest economies and Nigeria cannot be an exception. With over 15 million SMEs dotting the Nigerian landscape, we are poised to ensure our customers in this segment actively grow their businesses through our partnerships and focused initiatives in the segment, and that is why we have strong support for the MSME sector.

“Keystone Bank is one of the financial institutions that have long-running support for the growth and development of small businesses in Nigeria because of the recognition of critical roles of MSMEs as vital agents of economic development and transformation.

“May I reemphasize that this programme is a demonstration of the bank’s commitment to leverage business growth opportunities pivotal in accelerating the process of economic and social development, which is one of the global millennium development goals.

“Our target is at delivering top-of-mind value propositions to enable the entrepreneur’s position their brands for profitability,” Bamawo noted.

At the event held on 14th February 2020 at the popular Rock View Hotel, Wuse II, participants were offered a free website alongside mentorship sessions by experts who shared deep insights on varied aspects of marketing and brand management.

Keystone Bank, a technology and service-driven commercial bank offering convenient and reliable solutions to its customers, has a full-fledged SME banking division which over the years has developed various engagement programmes focused on empowering entrepreneurs.