LCCI, Keystone, Facebook equip start-ups with digital marketing skills

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has partnered Keystone Bank and Facebook to train start-ups on marketing tips as well as ways of using technology to boost their businesses.

Babatunde Ruwase, President of the LCCI, in his remarks at the event, encouraged the participants to use the opportunities judiciously as it was an avenue to boost their businesses, adding that it was necessary to keep up with the global trend of digitalisation and technology. He advised that it was a good idea to learn about business basics from the experienced people in order to avoid mistakes.

Ruwase said in an interview that the motive of this workshop was to aid the MSMEs navigate their way through the digital space and show that technological competence could be applied and used to boost businesses and give them a more competitive position in the business world.

Helen Nwelle, Head, MSME & Value Chain Management Retail Banking, Keystone Bank, said in an exclusive interview that MSMEs are the bedrock of any economy and important for the growth and development of the economy.

“This is the digital age and MSMEs have to be equipped to keep up with digitalisation, which birthed the partnership with LCCI and Facebook to train the MSMEs on the use of social media and digital space to boost their business,” she said.

“MSMEs need our assistance as banks to enable them develop their business and also meet their needs like access to market, access to capacity building, access  to finance, business registration, cost saving mechanisms and advisory services which Keystone Bank is set to fulfil.” Nwelle said

Okemini Otum, CEO, Rabbington Media, who represented Facebook, said MSMEs are the bloodline of any economy and should be empowered to contribute whatever is necessary to the country and the economy.

“Equipped with digital marketing skills, MSMEs will be able to stand out in the competitive business field as they need visibility. Despite the various challenges, MSMEs can still keep up and achieve feats without the traditional marketing mechanisms,” Otum said.

Tola Gbogboade, chairperson of the Professional Parties Group of LCCI,  said a lot of young people are in business and have good business advice but lack the tools to thrive in the business environment.  “We are in the 4th Industrial Revolution and we need to come up to be competitive locally and globally using technology,” Gbogboade said.

Gbemi Faminu