ProvidusBank celebrates 5th year SME Program, reinforces pledge to helping businesses prosper

For years, ProvidusBank has been on a mission to support small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners through innovation, superior service delivery and strategic partnerships. 

As such, the ProvidusBank SME Program, launched five years ago in partnership with the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), the Entrepreneurship Centre of Pan-Atlantic University, is a necessary initiative that equips entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge for improved profitability.

To celebrate five years of helping businesses prosper through the Program, an unforgettable event, compered by Dawan Ejomah, was held at the Landmark Centre on Thursday, July 24.

Graduates of the most recent Cohort, alongside ex-graduates from the previous cohorts, were in attendance. It was a night to celebrate and look back on the triumphs from the past.

Speaking at the event, Engr Dr Ifeoluwa Timothy Adeyemi, CEO and Founder of Timoyex International Technology Limited, representing cohort 3, expressed gratitude to ProvidusBank and the EDC.

His testimonial conveyed a sense of growth and progress from how his business began to how his knowledge has expanded after being a part of the program.

“I learnt how to delegate the hard way during the program,” Adeyemi said. “I also learnt how to network because we were made to do presentations. I gained confidence from the experience. I also got contracts from even my fellow cohort members.”

Adeyemi added that his business grew in leaps and bounds after his participation in the program; he opened four more branches shortly after.

Another success story came from Favour Adeleke, Founder, Kiki Farms who noted that his business laudably pivoted from serving direct consumers to strictly serving other businesses and partnering with top-tier hospitality companies across the country.

Adeleke also pointed out that ProvidusBank has been a supportive partner to his business ever since.

Representing the Lagos chapter of Cohort 5, Dr Owen Omo Ojo, CEO and Founder, HIGC Health Consultants, in her speech described the ProvidusBank as her personal MBA in just three months.

“Before this program, I was working in my business like a headless chicken,” she said. “Solving problems, responding to emails at 2 am — all while telling myself ‘you are doing great’. But I never actually worked on my business. I had the cashflow and ideas with no structure.”

“From day one, I knew we were in for something different,” she continued. “The facilitators didn’t just teach us; they coached, mentored and sometimes gently dragged us. But every single module made sense: strategy, business model, finance. It wasn’t just theory; it was real, applicable, and tailored for my business.”

In his keynote address, Kingsley Aigbokhaevbo, the Deputy Managing Director, ProvidusBank recognised the importance of entrepreneurship and assured everyone present that the SME Program is poised for future impact.

“On behalf of the Executive Management, I am here to give a reassurance that this program will continue into the future,” he said.

He further mentioned that the ProvidusBank SME Program was conceived from the desire to give back to the society and revealed that they chose to support the SME sector because of its prevailing challenges such as absence of structure and lack of funding.

His acknowledgement went to representatives from the EDC who were present at the event, noting their commitment to the partnership throughout the years.

“Being a future-forward bank, we will always make sure that we are a step ahead,” he said.

The event did not end without the presentation of certificates to the 96 graduates of Cohort 5 from Lagos and Abuja.

Damilola Feyide, Lead, SME Development & Strategy, ProvidusBank took charge of the session by calling out the names of each graduate to the stage to receive their certificates presented by Kingsley Aigbokhaevbo, the Deputy Managing Director, ProvidusBank and Dr. Nneka Okekearu, the Director, Enterprise Development Centre (EDC). 

Ernest Enwe, Head of Strategy and Business Development, ProvidusBank, in his closing remarks, gave a note of thanks to the representatives from their partner, the EDC who were present at the event, Dr Nneka Okekearu, Director, EDC, and Dr Olawale Anifowose, Programmes and Partnerships Director, EDC.

FeatureByProvidusBank