Keystone Bank hosts SME business clinic
L-R: Unit Head, Inclusive Banking, Keystone Bank, Ifeoma Oniawa; traders, Morufat Babatunde, Adegoke Kehinde; Unit Head, Business Partner, Lagos Island & West, Keystone Bank, Opeyemi Eboka; Regional Head, Lagos Island Region, Keystone Bank, Gani Adebayo; Textile Market Line Head, Rukayat Ayolagbe; and another trader, Adeyele Olugbenga, at the Keystone Bank SME Business Clinic held recently at Balogun Market, Lagos Island.
Keystone Bank hosts SME business clinic
In a commitment to the growth of the small and medium-scale sector, Keystone Bank has hosted business clinics across 10 major Nigerian cities.
In a statement on Monday, the bank said that the nationwide SME Business Clinic was in celebration of the United Nations’ World Small and Medium Enterprises Day 2025, themed ‘Empowering SMEs for Growth and Sustainability.’
The empowerment programme, which was held throughout June, reached entrepreneurs in Lagos (Balogun Market, Lagos Island, and Computer Village Market, Ikeja), Port Harcourt, Aba, Asaba (Delta), Onitsha (Anambra), Kano, Maiduguri, Kaduna, Abuja, and Ibadan (Oyo), offering vital training, networking, and strategic insights tailored to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Commenting on the initiative, Group Head, Retail and Digital Banking, Keystone Bank, Olayemi Sule, said, “At Keystone Bank, we understand the vital role SMEs play in national development. The SME Business Clinic was designed to equip business owners with practical tools and knowledge to scale their ventures, build resilience, and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic growth. This initiative underscores our ongoing dedication to fostering innovation, financial literacy, and sustainable business practices.”
During the training, each session featured hands-on workshops, expert-led discussions, and interactive Q&A forums addressing the real-world challenges Nigerian entrepreneurs face today.
Participants also received actionable strategies to strengthen operations, access financing, and navigate an evolving business landscape.
Participants across the various cities praised Keystone Bank for the thoughtful initiative, expressing gratitude that a financial institution is intentionally investing in their growth.
Many said they felt seen, heard, and encouraged by the practical nature of the sessions, adding that it was refreshing to see a bank go beyond transactions to truly support the engine room of the economy, SMEs.
According to a recently published Informal Economy Report 2024 by Moniepoint, Nigeria is home to approximately 40 million MSMEs. Of these, it is estimated that about 89.4 per cent are in the informal economy.
