29/09/2025
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๐๐๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐
๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ โฆ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ง
First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has announced a significant boost to its women-focused banking initiative, SheVentures, raising the pool of interest-free loans available to women-owned and women-led small and medium-scale enterprises (WSMEs) from โฆ200 million to โฆ1 billion.
The scheme gives female entrepreneurs access to zero-interest loans of up to โฆ10 million, with flexible repayment periods and short moratoriums. Beneficiaries also receive business training and structured mentorship to help them scale and sustain their enterprises.
Highlighting the impact of the initiative, FCMBโs Managing Director, Yemisi Edun, described women as โdrivers of enterprise and job creation in Nigeriaโ who are often constrained by limited access to affordable finance. According to her, expanding SheVentures to โฆ1 billion represents a strategic move to match financial support with capacity building, thereby turning individual successes into a wider economic transformation.
Also commenting, George Ogbonnaya, Divisional Head of SME Banking at FCMB, said the programme has already supported over 300 women entrepreneurs, with positive results that prove โtargeted interventions truly work.โ The new commitment, he added, will allow FCMB to reach more women and deepen the programmeโs long-term impact.
For her part, Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head of SheVentures, explained that the facility offers flexible packages: women can access up to โฆ5 million interest-free for four months (with one month moratorium), or up to โฆ10 million for six months (also with a moratorium).
Through SheVentures, FCMB is positioning itself as a catalyst for female-led business growth, combining access to capital with mentorship, networks, and skills development.
