FNB invests in SME development at Business Summit Namibia

First National Bank (FNB) Namibia has committed N$200 000 to the Business Summit Namibia, which takes place in Windhoek this weekend.

FNB head of SME banking Nesdha de Jongh says the bank’s participation reflects a broader commitment to supporting entrepreneurs beyond banking products.

“This is a social responsibility. We are not just there to help you through a banking perspective, we are there to walk the journey with you by providing you hope, fuelling your ambitions to become successful,” he says.

The summit, which includes local and international speakers, will focus on the power of entrepreneurial storytelling to motivate and inform small business owners.

Through sharing lived experiences and encouraging networking, De Jongh says the summit aims to offer practical knowledge that can be applied across the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector.
“We want to inspire all entrepreneurs within Namibia,” he says.

South African entrepreneur and media executive, Connie Ferguson, has been invited as keynote speaker.

De Jongh says her presence is intended to shift the mindset of Namibian entrepreneurs.
“We want to broaden the thinking to not think local, but global. Connie Ferguson has achieved it all. Her entrepreneurial journey inspires a lot of Namibians,” he says.

While Ferguson’s participation has drawn attention, De Jongh emphasises that the core of the summit is local.
“The focus is not just on Connie Ferguson, it’s on the local entrepreneurs. We want their stories to come out,” he says.

He adds that the bank is also developing tools to help SMEs manage compliance requirements.
“We are going to use our bank statements integrated with our accounting system, and then people will be able to directly pull their Namibia Revenue Agency statements from the FNB App,” he says.

De Jongh confirms that this weekend’s summit is part of a longer-term engagement strategy.

“It’s not going to stop here. It is the beginning of many,” he concludes.

The summit is jointly hosted by FNB Namibia and the City of Windhoek, in collaboration with the organisers of the Business Summit Namibia.

It will include panel discussions with local entrepreneurs who have succeeded within Namibia’s SME landscape, and feature exhibitions by local businesses.

– Nampa

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