By Alex C
Access Bank has unveiled the ‘W’ initiative to provide women with the access to wide range of lifestyle-oriented value added benefits and privileges, including access to a comprehensive range of loan product and credit facilities.
Though economic experts have suggested extensively that empowering women in Africa will spur the continent’s economic growth, these women constitute about 52 percent of the African population, yet have little access to loan and credit facilities.
Mr Herbert Wigwe, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank, said that women which comprise 30 percent of Small and Medium Enterprise in Nigeria, do not get enough support to launch and develop their business.
The initiative aims to tackle these challenges by providing women entrepreneurs with an online community where they can reach out and connect.
Wigwe described it as a platform for “women who want to be inspired, connected and empowered,” adding that supporting women owned businesses will not only empower them but also lead to economic growth for the country.
The “W” initiative was initially launched in 2006 but it has now been properly embedded into the Access Bank’s tradition in such a way that every staff member of Access Bank now understands and pays greater attention to women and their needs, the bank said.