Table of Contents
- Fidelity Bank Plc, in collaboration with ImpactHER, provided digital and AI skills training to 1,276 women entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
- The training aimed to close the digital gap for women, with a focus on leveraging technology for business success.
- The initiative is part of Fidelity Bank's broader strategy to support economic growth by empowering women-led small businesses.
Fidelity Bank Plc, led by Chairman Mustafa Chike-Obi, has partnered with ImpactHER to offer critical digital and artificial intelligence training to 1,276 women entrepreneurs across Nigeria.
This training, integral to Fidelity Bank’s strategy, spanned five days and is part of a broader effort to boost economic growth by empowering women in business.
Empowering women through digital innovation
The training, organized by ImpactHER, focused on integrating technology into business operations and covered pivotal topics such as "Getting Started with Email Marketing," "Harnessing AI for Content Creation as a Small Business Owner," and "Branding and Positioning." This curriculum was designed to equip participants with the tools needed to excel in an increasingly digital marketplace.
Osita Ede, the divisional head of product development at Fidelity Bank, highlighted the importance of this initiative, stating, "Women-led small businesses constitute more than 40% percent of all micro, small, and medium enterprises in Nigeria, playing a vital role in our economy. By providing these entrepreneurs with the necessary skills, we are not only aiding their personal business success but are also fostering broader economic prosperity."
Impact and future prospects
Efe Ukala, the founder of ImpactHER, underscored the urgency of the training by pointing out the substantial digital gap affecting African women. "Our data shows a stark disparity in how women and girls engage with technology compared to their male counterparts. This training is crucial to ensuring they are not left behind in the technological evolution of our global economy," Ukala explained.
She also noted the potential economic impact, suggesting that closing the e-commerce digital gap could add as much as $180 billion to Africa’s GDP by 2025.
The program has been met with enthusiastic feedback from its participants, who praised its practical approach and the immediate applicability of the skills they acquired. The success of the August 2024 cohort has brought the total number of beneficiaries to 5,719 women since the inception of this partnership, marking a milestone in Fidelity Bank and ImpactHER’s ongoing efforts to empower women entrepreneurs.
As Fidelity Bank and ImpactHER continue to expand this initiative, they reaffirm their commitment to fostering an environment where women can thrive as influential participants in the global economy.
The next series of training sessions are eagerly anticipated, with both organizations dedicated to further reducing the digital skill gap among women entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
