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FirstBank deepens SME capacity building with AI-focused webinar
West Africa’s premier financial institution, FirstBank, has announced the next edition of its SMEConnect Webinar, scheduled for Tuesday, 31 March 2026.
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The webinar is designed to equip small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with practical knowledge and tools to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) for sustainable business growth in Nigeria’s fast-evolving digital economy.
Theme Highlights AI Adoption, Integration and Scalable Impact
Themed “AI for Business Growth: From Adoption to Integration and Scalable Impact,” the session is strategically curated to educate SME owners on how AI can be applied to scale operations, improve productivity, enhance customer engagement, and support smarter, data-driven decision-making. The theme reflects the growing relevance of AI as a transformative force shaping competitiveness across the SME landscape.
Industry Experts to Share Practical AI Insights
The webinar will feature leading industry professionals, including Temitope Odude, Senior AI Solutions Architect at Microsoft, who will deliver globally relevant insights on practical AI adoption for SMEs.
Other speakers include Abednego Ugwueke, Head of Digital Channels, and Ibidun Adedewe, Head of SME Acquisition & Partnerships at FirstBank.
FirstBank Reaffirms Commitment to SME Growth
Speaking ahead of the event, Chuma Ezirim, Group Executive, e-Business and Retail Products at FirstBank, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting SMEs as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy.
According to him, FirstBank continues to demonstrate innovation through initiatives such as AI-enabled credit scoring. This has enabled the disbursement of over ₦1 trillion in instant loans to micro and small businesses. He noted that the webinar will further empower entrepreneurs with hands-on guidance to integrate AI into daily operations. This skill will enable them to achieve both short-term scale and long-term sustainability.
Registration Details
Interested SME owners and entrepreneurs can register for the webinar via:
https://firstbanknigeria.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cUr1LhWFQXymTqWtONOOVg
SMEConnect: A Proven Platform for SME Empowerment
The SMEConnect Webinar series remains one of FirstBank’s flagship platforms for delivering practical knowledge and strategic insights to SMEs.
The bank has received multiple recognitions for its impact on SME development. It has been named Best SME Bank in Nigeria and Best SME Bank in Africa by the TAB Global Excellence in Retail Finance Awards. It is also a recipient of SME Financier of the Year – Nigeria by The Digital Banker.
