The conference, organised in collaboration with MTN Foundation Nigeria and in partnership with the African Network of Entrepreneurs (ANDE), the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Nigeria, Sterling Bank, TERAWORK, City Cars Rentals and the School of Eloquence, will focus on improving access to finance and markets, expanding intra-African trade, developing talent and using technology to support business growth.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n Themed \u201cBeyond Ecosystems: Building Platforms That Help African Businesses Thrive,\u201d the event reflects EDC\u2019s decision to broaden a platform that has convened Nigeria\u2019s business community for 19 years, recognising that many of the barriers facing small businesses extend beyond national borders.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n These challenges include access to finance, markets, talent and infrastructure, as well as the need for supportive policies and opportunities to trade across borders.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0Nnenna Ugwu, head of Alumni Engagement and Support Services at EDC, Pan-Atlantic University, said the expansion would help build platforms that support businesses across the continent and translate discussions into practical outcomes.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n \u201cTwenty years ago, we set out to create a space where Nigerian entrepreneurs could learn, connect and be heard. That space has grown, and so have the businesses in it. But the challenges our SMEs face do not stop at our borders, and neither should the solutions,\u201d Ugwu said.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n She said the pan-African direction reflected the need to develop platforms that work for businesses across Africa and ensure that discussions lead to implementation.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n The two-day conference will feature keynote addresses and thematic panels covering access to finance and markets, intra-African trade, business expansion, future-ready talent, artificial intelligence, fintech and digital transformation.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n It will also feature a Pan-African SME Expo, where businesses can showcase their products to potential buyers, partners and investors, alongside Investor Connect sessions designed to match businesses with investors aligned with their stages of development and sectors.<\/span><\/p>\n Olawale Anifowose, director of Programmes and Partnerships at EDC, said the 20th edition reflected the centre\u2019s consistency and the trust the entrepreneurial community had placed in Pan-Atlantic University.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n He said the conference\u2019s transition into a pan-African platform would extend EDC\u2019s commitment to supporting SME growth to a wider audience.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n For Sterling Bank, one of the supporting institutions, the conference\u2019s emphasis on practical solutions aligns with its efforts to improve access to finance for Nigerian businesses.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n The bank recently announced a $200 million SME credit backstop initiative in collaboration with Cascador, designed to address lending risks and expand financing for viable businesses.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n Donatus Okpako, chief marketing officer of Sterling Bank, said financial institutions needed to work with other stakeholders to address structural barriers preventing businesses from accessing the financing, markets and opportunities required to grow.<\/span><\/p>\n He said the conference would provide a platform for building partnerships aimed at delivering practical results for businesses across Africa.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n The conference will take place in Ikoyi, Lagos, as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week Nigeria 2026. Participation will be available both in person and online, with registration open through the conference website.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n Hope Moses-Ashike is an Associate Editor, Banking and Finance, with more than a decade of experience reporting on Nigeria\u2019s financial system and broader economy. She closely tracks market movements, monetary policy decisions, company disclosures, regulatory actions, economic indicators, and global developments, and interprets what they mean for businesses, investors, policymakers, and households. Her reporting helps readers understand complex issues such as inflation trends, foreign exchange market dynamics, interest rate decisions, bank performance, and investment risks.
Source: <\/p>\n The Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of Pan-Atlantic University is expanding its annual small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) conference beyond Nigeria as it seeks to strengthen business growth, access to finance… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4181,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4180","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4180","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4180"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4180\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4181"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4180"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4180"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4180"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Related News<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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\nShe also covers major international events and periodically travels to Washington, D.C., to report on the World Bank\/IMF Spring and Annual Meetings.
\nHer dedication to financial journalism has earned her multiple recognitions and invitations to high-level professional development programmes. She is an alumna of the International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP) in the United States and holds an Advanced Financial Journalism Certificate from the Press Association Training in London, UK. Her other notable achievements include completing the Lagos Business School CMC Programme, the Bloomberg Media Africa Initiative Programme, and a Master Class in Journalism at Rhodes University in South Africa.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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