Fidelity Bank Plc has commenced the fifth series of the Export Management Programme (EMP), offering to assist exporters across the country to access global markets for their products as well as provide support to comply with documentation required for export competitiveness. Speaking at a press conference to mark the commencement of the EMP 5th stream, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Fidelity Bank, Nnamdi Okonkwo said that among other things, the bank assists graduates of the programme to access global market for their products. Represented by the Deputy Managing Director of the bank, Balarabe Mohammed, Okonkwo said that the EMP was designed to fill the knowledge gap in the export industry.
He stated: “We observe there was a knowledge gap in the industry, with so many people operating in the dark. As a result, we approached the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Lagos Business School for partnership to design and execute a program to fill this gap. The aim is to provide impactful, world class knowledge that will drive export business in the country. We have done four streams since we started last year with over 250 graduates. I can assure you that the three institutions will continue with the programme until that knowledge gap is bridged. “At Fidelity Bank we believe that promotion of non-oil exports is the way to go for Nigeria.
Hence, in addition to the EMP, Fidelity Bank is working to providing financial solution to support exporters in the country, and this is to ensure the achievement of the nation’s goal of economic diversification”. Speaking on the various benefits of the EMP, General Manager, Managed SMEs, Fidelity Bank, Ken Okpara, explained that the programme is beyond capacity building. He said that the EMP provides participants with opportunity to have firsthand knowledge of the various aspects of the exports value chain from experienced exporters. He noted that one of the unique benefits of the EMP is that it also provides participants opportunity to form cooperatives through which they can continue to learn, assist each other or even form partnerships for export business.
