FirstBank, West Africa’s premier financial institution and leading financial inclusion services provider, has announced the upcoming edition of its SMEConnect Webinar, scheduled for Tuesday, 31 March 2026. The session is designed to equip small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the knowledge and tools required to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for sustainable business growth.
This edition has been thoughtfully curated to educate SMEs on practical ways to apply AI in scaling their businesses within today’s rapidly evolving digital economy. With the theme, “AI for Business Growth: From Adoption to Integration and Scalable Impact,” the webinar underscores the increasing relevance of AI as a transformative force shaping the SME landscape. Participants will gain actionable insights into leveraging AI to boost productivity, streamline operations, enhance customer engagement, and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
The webinar will feature a lineup of seasoned experts, including Temitope Odude, Senior AI Solutions Architect at Microsoft, who will serve as the guest speaker. Odude will share globally relevant perspectives on successfully adopting and integrating AI into everyday business operations. He will be joined by Abednego Ugwueke, Head of Digital Channels, and Ibidun Adedewe, Head of SME Acquisition & Partnerships at FirstBank, who will also provide valuable insights.
Speaking ahead of the event, Chuma Ezirim, Group Executive, e-Business and Retail Products at FirstBank, emphasised the Bank’s commitment to SME growth:
“SMEs are the backbone of the Nigerian economy, and at FirstBank, we recognise that the economy cannot thrive without them. As a committed growth partner, this session reinforces our strong focus on innovation, exemplified by initiatives such as AI-enabled credit scoring, which delivers fast, instant loans to micro-SMEs.
“To date, over ₦1 trillion has been disbursed to support customers’ financial needs. Building on this foundation, we are equipping business owners with the knowledge and practical insights needed to leverage Artificial Intelligence for both immediate impact and long-term, sustainable growth. I encourage every business owner to participate in this session to gain hands-on guidance on integrating AI into everyday operations.”
SME owners and entrepreneurs can register for the webinar via:
https://firstbanknigeria.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cUr1LhWFQXymTqWtONOOVg
The SMEConnect Webinar Series remains one of FirstBank’s flagship platforms for empowering SMEs with practical knowledge and strategic insights. Over the years, the Bank has received multiple recognitions for its impact on businesses and its commitment to delivering innovative solutions to customers and stakeholders, particularly within the SME sector.
Notably, FirstBank was named Best SME Bank in Nigeria and Best SME Bank in Africa at the TAB Global Excellence in Retail Finance Awards for two consecutive years as of 2025. The Bank also received the SME Financier of the Year – Nigeria award from The Digital Banker.
