By Ayomide Otitoju
Fidelity Bank Plc, in collaboration with ImpactHER, has successfully concluded another round of free digital and artificial intelligence skills training aimed at empowering businesswomen across Nigeria. The five-day training, organized by ImpactHER, saw 1,276 women entrepreneurs equipped with essential digital and AI skills to enhance their business operations.
Highlighting the significance of the initiative within Fidelity Bank’s broader strategy, Osita Ede, the bank’s Divisional Head of Product Development, emphasized the pivotal role of female entrepreneurs in driving Nigeria’s economic growth. “Available data points to the fact that women-led small businesses account for over 40 percent of micro, small, and medium enterprises in Nigeria. This underscores the critical role female entrepreneurs play in driving economic growth. At Fidelity Bank, we believe that empowering female entrepreneurs with the relevant skills to run successful businesses would go a long way in helping individuals to grow, businesses to thrive, and economies to prosper in line with our mandate,” Ede stated.
The online training covered a range of topics designed to help participants leverage technology for business success, including “Getting Started with Email Marketing,” “How to Harness AI for Content Creation as a Small Business Owner,” and “Branding and Positioning.”
Efe Ukala, founder of ImpactHER, underscored the importance of such initiatives, noting the existing digital divide. “Statistically, women and girls are 25 percent less likely to leverage digital technology for basic purposes, four times less likely to know how to program computers, and 13 times less likely to file for technology patents. This highlights the importance of equipping African women with digital skills that can be leveraged to scale their businesses. Data shows that Africa can add $180 billion to its GDP by 2025 if we close the e-commerce digital gap. By offering this training at no cost and collaborating with supporters like Fidelity Bank to reach more women, we’re working to make these vital skills accessible to women entrepreneurs who can drive this economic growth.”
Participants praised the program for its practical approach and the immediate applicability of the skills learned. With the conclusion of the August 2024 cohort, the partnership between Fidelity Bank and ImpactHER has now trained a total of 5,719 women entrepreneurs, reinforcing the bank’s commitment to fostering economic development through female entrepreneurship.
