DIAMOND BANK SPONSORS ENTREPRENEURS TO THE PAN AFRICAN UNIVERSITY

DIAMOND BANK SPONSORS ENTREPRENEURS TO THE PAN AFRICAN UNIVERSITY 

As part of its contribution towards economic development in Nigeria and in living up to its reputation as a frontline organization in the provision of support for Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs), Diamond Bank Plc has announced the selection of fifty entrepreneurs for the second phase of its Building Entrepreneur Today series tagged BET 2.

According to the Head, Corporate Communications, Diamond Bank Plc, Ms Akpo Daniyan, the bank is once again partnering with the Enterprise Development Centre of the Pan African University to teach budding entrepreneurs various skills for running profitable businesses. 

Said Ms Daniyan: “Diamond Bank has always demonstrated its commitment to help entrepreneurs develop capacity to run profitable businesses. The BET programme has proved to be a very successful means to achieving this. That is why we are once again sponsoring resourceful entrepreneurs to learn how to run their businesses successfully. It is our hope that they will make good use of the lessons learnt and run thriving businesses in the not-too-distant future.”

The BET programme is in three phases. In the first stage, from a host of applicants, fifty entrepreneurs are selected to undergo a thirty day intensive Entrepreneurial Management Training. In phase two, fifteen entrepreneurs emerge and embark on a Business Development Support programme. In the final stage, 5 entrepreneurs will be selected for the Next Level Award and they will be entitled to N3million each and a nine month Support Service provision by the bank.

Continues Ms Daniyan, “In addition to the BET programme, Diamond Bank boasts of the biggest portfolio of programmes supporting the Micro Small Medium Entrepreneurs (MSME) sector. These include our Diamond BusinessXpress Seminar, where entrepreneurs come to learn new ways of running successful businesses; Diamond BusinessClinic, where they get a one-on-one chance to meet with Consultants in various fields; and the Diamond BusinessXpress Club which affords entrepreneurs the opportunity to network and exchange business ideas.”

It will be recalled that the first edition of the BET programme took place in 2010 when Diamond Bank empowered five entrepreneurs with a seed capital of N3 million each after they emerged tops in the business training at the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of the Pan African University.

“Our commitment to this initiative in particular, and support for MSMEs in general, is predicated on the fact that indigenous business will stimulate growth in the nation’s economy,” concludes Ms Daniyan.