UNIDO, Seven-Up, And Zenith Bank Collaborate To Strengthen Nigerian SMEs

A two-day boot camp has been arranged by Seven-Up Bottling Company, Zenith Bank, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) with the goal of strengthening Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. The event, with the theme “Dream Big, Scale Bigger,” brought together about 80 CEOs of quickly expanding SMEs to share best practices for growing companies in the Nigerian market.

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The Seven-Up Bottling Company’s managing director, Ziad Maalouf, emphasized the important contributions made by SMEs to Nigeria’s GDP. He acknowledged the entrepreneurial spirit in Nigeria and underlined that the goal of the boot camp was to enable more company owners to grow their enterprises.

Maalouf, who chairs the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance, listed ten requirements for growing SMEs. These include having a big idea, being passionate about it, managing finances, teamwork, having business acumen, having a purpose, having a network, integrating artificial intelligence, and getting advice on business transformation. Deputy General Manager/Head of Retail Banking at Zenith Bank Lanre Oladimeji counseled company owners to fully comprehend loan options before choosing one.

He underlined the significance of understanding loan specifics including type, payment schedules, borrowing costs, and terms in addition to determining how the loan will affect the company’s operations.

The National Director of UNIDO, Oluyomi Banjo, praised Seven-Up Bottling Company for hosting the workshop and emphasized the necessity for Nigeria to support and promote sustainable innovation by making investments in the expansion of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Banjo underlined that through programs like the Global Cleantech Innovation Program, UNIDO is committed to supporting Sustainable Development Goal Number 9, which focuses on industry, innovation, and infrastructure in Nigeria.

The goal of the boot camp was to provide SME CEOs with useful knowledge and tactics for growing their companies and promoting sustainability and economic success. The Seven-Up Bottling Company, UNIDO, and Zenith Bank joint venture demonstrates a dedication to fostering the growth and success of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria.