FCMB & IFC Partner to Launch Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Program to Boost Entrepreneurship

• First City Monument Bank (FCMB) partners with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to launch the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women program in Nigeria
• The program provides women with practical business education, experiential learning, and mentoring from faculty members of the world's leading business schools

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has partnered with International Finance Corporation (IFC) to launch the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women initiative in Nigeria, intended for business empowerment and entrepreneurship.

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women program is a global program that aims to stimulate economic growth through women's equipment with business education practice, interactive learning experience and guidance by teachers from better classified business schools. The program has reached more than 200,000 entrepreneurs around the world. With the University of Leeds offering the program online, the program is open to all SMEs with the opportunity to undertake ten rigorous courses and also be part of the 10,000 Women alumni network.

This partnership builds off FCMB's women's entrepreneur support, through the SheVentures program, which in five years has given out zero-interest loans totaling N800 million and provided training and mentorship to thousands of women-owned SMEs in Nigeria.

On the agreement with the FRMB, FCMB Managing Director, Yemisi Edun noted, "Empowering women who are entrepreneurs is essential for innovation, job creation and growth of the economy. It will help them apply additional skills, create new business opportunities and fulfill our purpose of inclusive and sustainable growth."

Echoing the same, FCMB's Divisional Head of Business Banking, George Ogbonnaya, identified the bank's commitment to SMEs, and that the alliance will not only foster gender equality in the business environment but also lead to sustainable long-term business development.