Business owners in Nigeria have been advised to leverage on the opportunities provided by digital technology to boost productivity, service delivery and overall performance of their organisations despite the challenges posed by the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

This was the submission of guest speakers at the second edition of the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) organised virtual capacity building programme for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) recently with the theme : Leveraging Digital Technology & Logistics to Grow Your Business.

The initiative, under the auspices of the Bank’s free comprehensive capacity building programme, tagged, Business Empowerment and Sustainability Training (BEST) Masterclass, put together by FCMB’sTraining Academy and SME Advisory Unit, was one of the value-added offerings of FCMB to complement its efforts in the areas of lending and advisory services to SMEs, with the objective of stimulating their growth and contributions to overall national development.

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The online seminar, which recorded over 2,016 registered participants, focused on various topics, ranging from innovation, digital technology solutions, business model opportunities and adapting to the new normal.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic has continued to pose alarming economic, business and commercial impact globally. It has adversely limited the ability of businesses to meet high demand of goods and services due to the restrictions and other safety measures put in place by Governments and health authorities to contain the pandemic. However, experts are of the opinion that these challenges can be overcome with the adoption of effective digital technology solutions and logistics. In his presentation , Digital Technology Solutions for SMEs: Charting the Path to the Next Normal, an Associate Partner with Mckinsey & Company, Chika Ekeji, said, though, COVID-19 was disrupting the structure of businesses across Africa, the continent can respond to disruptions with four actions.