Women participation in Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria has received an inspiring and creative boost from Keystone Bank Limited, as the organisation recently unveiled The Pink Network, an initiative for women entrepreneurs and professionals to share business ideas and interact.
Speaking during the premiere interactive session held at the Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos, Otunba (Mrs.) ‘Debola Osibogun, President/Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) said “Keystone Bank Limited has creatively set up this platform to cater for the dreams and aspirations of women SMEs and the professional working class women.”
While commending the Bank, the CIBN President also said “This initiative, beyond supporting the Central Bank’s Financial Inclusion Policy, would also solve some of the challenges built around markets and infrastructure that SMEs face.”
In his remarks to the gathering of businesswomen and women opinion leaders, the Managing Director/CEO, Keystone Bank, Mr. Philip Ikeazor, spoke about the possibilities that partnering with the Pink Network offers to include financing of ventures in “agriculture, technology, education, hospitality and tourism, media and entertainment, professional services and advisory. Once it is a Small and Medium Scale venture, the possibilities are endless.”
According to the Chief Executive, a lot has been written about women, from girls in their teens, to women in middle ages, from student entrepreneurs, to mom entrepreneurs, from women who quit their job to start a business, to women who were made redundant and so started a business, “I strongly believe that the Pink Network can offer a platform for the success story that every woman entrepreneur needs to make an impact to family, friends and the community at large. We want that when you tell your success story as a creator, a businesswoman, an entrepreneur and that it is a PINK story.”
Keystone Bank’s Executive Director in charge of Operations and Technology, Mrs. Yvonne Isichei spoke about the motive behind starting the Pink Network: “We were inspired to build this platform for women from our vision of creating utmost value for our stakeholders and our mission of being the preferred partner.
“The Pink Network Interactive evening is an evening for us to rub minds as women and introduce to you the unique features of the Pink Network Platform.”
She laid out the features and benefits to include “A market hub and online community that provides an avenue for financial, social and inspirational interactions; the flexibility for women to express themselves; mentoring sessions for women entrepreneurs; capacity building through partnership with institutions like the Enterprise Development Centre, EDC, and WIMBIZ (Women in Management, Business and Public Service).”
The first interactive session of the Pink Network was attended by women in business, politics, government and public service, including the Pink Network Ambassador, Ms Rita Dominic; President/Chairman of Council, CIBN Otunba (Mrs.) ‘Debola Osibogun; two-time minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Dr. (Mrs.) Nike Akande; Member of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and Senator Florence Ita-Giwa.
