Sterling bank has partnered with Opportunity Network in order to promote Nigerian businesses and ensure a more secure digital transaction for with foreign investors and counterparts.
Adriana de la Cruz Duffo Growth Strategy, Corporate Matchmaking & Business Development Consultant Opportunity Network, stated that opportunity network is a deal matchmaking platform that helps vetted reliable and trustworthy companies share and connect to different deals”
According to her, it is a platform that brings the best bank clients together globally to interact in a secure and trusted environment
According to her” opportunity network has partners all over the world. Having partnered with over 40 institutions, with 18 thousand corporates in over 120 countries in a short period and we have partnered with Sterling Bank to open up this opportunity to Nigerian corporates as well because many people are interested in doing business in Nigeria but don’t know how or who to partner with”
She added that It is a private club available on subscription basis excluding intermediation or transactional fees. It is only open to already established companies that meet certain requirements, therefore, it is not for start-ups, micro, small and medium scale enterprises.
She further stated that opportunity network is aimed at promoting business growth while engaging with counterparts all over the world she added that it is a door of various opportunities and development for all business including real estate, agriculture, transport, oil and gas, energy etc. as 80 percent of the deals posted receive averagely 15 connections.
Also speaking was Abubakar Suleiman the Chief Executive Officer sterling bank who said that with the world going digital and trade becoming globalized, there is need to establish a trustworthy profile for Nigeria businesses that will be seen by foreign investors or counterparts abroad and opportunity network is a platform to establish trust despite the distance.
According to him “today everything is being verified based on trust and the single most important things a bank offers is trust, therefore, companies that are being vetted by banks will receive a better reception in the global market and opportunity network is that market place where trusted partners can interact actively”. He added that the partnership is favourable not just for customers of the bank but also for the country.
He also explained that before approving clients or businesses for opportunity network, the clients have gone through the know your client (KYC) and the know your client business (KYCB) process to avoid possible problems and that opportunity network only provides deals and does not make transactions for the clients.
kelechi Nwaoba group head transaction banking and corporate transactions Also speaking at the meeting said that the partnership is aimed at developing the Nigerian business market and providing solutions to digital transaction problems.
Mojisola Bakare divisional head, corporate client coverage & sales sterling Bank Plc also stated that the partnership is a business tool that gives investors outside Nigeria the opportunity to assess prospective business partners thereby aiding trade seamlessly, she further added that the partnership will create a platform that links the buyer and the seller which will give a lot of opportunities in different areas.
Gbemi Faminu
