FirstBank Ghana has stepped up its engagement with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the launch of its SME Connect Workshop, bringing the bank’s services directly into the heart of Accra’s busiest commercial zones.
The maiden edition of the event, held in Accra’s central business district on Thursday, April 16, brought together small business owners, industry experts and bank officials to share practical knowledge and strengthen the bank’s engagement with the SME community.
Participants drawn from key trading hubs including Makola, Okaishie, Opera Square, Tudu and Kantamanto were taken through sessions covering social media use for business promotion, foreign exchange trading and access to finance.
Acting Head of SME and Affluent Banking, Enoch Adams, said the workshop was the first time the bank was hosting SME Connect as a structured forum to listen to customers, understand their challenges and receive feedback on its services. He stressed that the bank’s growth was directly tied to its customers’ success, noting that “we cannot grow without you, and it will not be right for us to grow without growing together with you.”
FirstBank Ghana Treasurer Grace Isaac-Aryee, who chaired the event, framed the initiative as part of a deliberate effort to move beyond conventional banking. She highlighted Accra’s central business district as the engine room of SME activity in the country, powered largely by traders whose businesses sustain livelihoods at the grassroots level.
Isaac-Aryee also pointed to the bank’s history in the area, noting that FirstBank Ghana established its first branch at Makola in 1996 with a focus on supporting women entrepreneurs. “For the past 30 years, we have been here with you providing solutions and we remain committed to empowering your businesses for the next 30 years and beyond,” she said.
The workshop was the centrepiece of a wider programme that also included a two-day free health screening exercise held at the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) station forecourt at Makola on April 14 and 15, underscoring the bank’s broader approach to client wellbeing.
Insights gathered from the sessions are expected to feed directly into a review of the bank’s products and services, with Adams indicating that customer feedback on issues such as loan sizes and requirements would be examined critically.
The SME Connect initiative is planned for rollout across other business districts as part of FirstBank Ghana’s broader strategy to strengthen enterprise resilience and drive inclusive economic growth.
