Banker and philanthropist, Agbata Steve Ndubuisi have lamented the great risks that Nigerian business owners are exposed to.
A fellow of the Chartered Institute of Loan and Risk Management of Nigeria, Elder Steve Agbata as he is popularly known, averred: “By virtue of my training, I am sensitive to risk in any endeavour I undertake, so take it from me, business owners in this country have been exposed to great risks in recent years.”
He continued: “The recession in Nigeria worsened the risk for entrepreneurs, especially owners of small scale businesses, a situation further exacerbated by the devastation of Covid-19 in 2020.”
Elder Steve Agbata, who has been a banker for the past 17 years, further averred that it is not only those in the business community that are at risk in the country. “In Nigeria, everything is about risk,” he asserted.
He made a case for indigent children as one of the vulnerable groups that are most at risk in the country. “That is why I floated the Elder Steve Agbata Foundation to cater to their educational need,” he stated.
He continued: “Some of these children have parents who are incapacitated financially and therefore cannot take care of their school fees. For such children, their future is at risk except someone steps in to lend a helping hand.”
Agbata, a native of Ogidi, Idemili North LGA of Anambra State, and Zenith Bank manager in Abuja, is, however, optimistic that as the world slowly rein in damages of Covid-19, the risk to the world and businesses will be greatly reduced before the end of 2021.
Of Nigeria, he said: “It is my belief that with good economic policy, the threat to businesses can be conquered and the economy will regain its vigour in the months ahead.”