Keystone Bank Empowers MSMEs

Keystone Bank Limited recently concluded a 5-day capacity building initiative for micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the country on the need to increase online presence and grow sales using digital tools.

The training which was tagged: “Boost With Facebook Digital Marketing Webinar Series,” was organised by the bank in partnership with Facebook via its Nigerian representative, Rabbington Media.

According to the lender, the Webinar explored new ways to help SMEs wade out of the harsh economic tide posed by the onset of the corona virus pandemic.

“The widespread outbreak of the novel Covid-19 has impacted the world economy negatively and has led to significant shift in customer needs and behaviour as well as a total overhaul of operating models of businesses. In the face of this current socioeconomic reality, the need to increase online presence and grow sales using digital tools has become a burning concern for a lot of small businesses.

“The topics covered ranged from: Using Facebook Ads to reach your target audience; Using WhatsApp to scale your business; Finding new customers using Instagram and more. It was a packed series of 10 episodes of exciting trainings with over 2,000 attendees participating in the sessions,” the bank said.

Commenting on the initiative, Helen Nwelle, Head of MSME at Keystone Bank, said: “the COVID-19 pandemic has affected a large number of SMEs who can no longer operate through physical stores and outlets and as such, the need to have an active online presence cannot be over-emphasised.

“Hence, the sessions provided a lot of learnings to enable businesses take advantage of the digital tools available on Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram etc to reach new customers and grow their businesses.”

Also speaking, Okemini Otum, Chief Executive Officer of Rabbington Media, said the sesions were very impactful and engaging, with an ever-ready and keen audience for each session.

“The turnout was far beyond our expectations, and we want to be able to reach many more SMEs through more partnerships like these. We commend the passion and commitment from Keystone Bank in seeing to the success of the project”.

‘’The numerous testimonials from participants at the webinar proved how timely the training was and the needs it addressed in their various businesses and participants took away learnings which a lot of them immediately began to apply into building an online presence for their businesses’’ Otum added.