Capacity Building: DBN Empowers Over 1,000 North-Based MSMEs
BY COBHAM NSA – Focused on optimisation and development of skills within the nation’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector, the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) has empowered over 1,000 small businesses across six states in the North-East and North-West geo-political zones.
Spread across Gombe, Borno, Adamawa, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi states, the MSMEs were exposed to a one-day empowerment training in continuation of DBN’s capacity development programmes towards sustainable growth and development in the sector.
The Bank said in a statement that the capacity building programme, conducted in each of the locations, featured facilitators with expertise in business management for small and medium scale enterprises.
According to the statement, besides aiming to further strengthen the beneficiaries’ capacity to scale up their businesses, the programme’s key objective is to assist business owners develop their capacity and gain better knowledge on accessing DBN funding through the Participating Financial Intermediaries (PFIs).
The statement quoted the DBN’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Tony Okpanachi, as appreciating the facilitators for bringing their expertise and experience to bear on the programme.
This is as he also expressed the confidence that the training would have a lasting impact on the participants and their businesses, adding that it was packaged in line with DBN’s unwavering commitment to strengthening the capacity of MSMEs to contribute more effectively to the country’s socio-economic growth and development.
The Bank Chief Executive said; “The strategic role of MSMEs as enablers of socio-economic development cannot be over-emphasised. A larger percentage of businesses in Nigeria are in the informal sector dominated by MSMEs.
“The MSMEs sector is a significant pillar for the Nigerian economic growth; they make up 97 per cent of businesses, generate six million jobs and contribute 50 per cent of national GDP.”
Further acknowledging small businesses as not only value-creators, but also wealth creator for individuals, Dr Okpanachi said; “At DBN, we are passionately committed to seeing MSMEs increase their capacity for growth and expansion, and being more sustainable so that together, we can continue to build a stronger economy for the benefits of all Nigerians.”
So far, the DBN has, through its numerous capacity training platforms, enriched the knowledge and capacity of MSMEs owners in the country through regular highly-enriching training initiatives and retooling, thereby positioning them for sustainable growth and expansion.
The statement noted that the annual DBN Entrepreneurship Training Programme (DBNETP), currently in its 5th Cycle, is one of such platforms, adding that over 2000 MSMEs across Nigeria have benefitted from the programme.
And leveraging partnerships and the DBN Learning Management System (LMS), these MSMEs have enjoyed both digital and physical trainings to build their capacities for effective service delivery and productivity.
