The Managing Director of FirstBank Group, Mr Olusegun Alebiosu, has outlined the bank’s commitment to bridging financing gaps and leveraging digital tools to address business challenges across critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.

He made the remarks on Tuesday at a breakfast session during the 31st Nigeria Economic Summit in Abuja, which was themed “Expanding Access to Finance and Driving Growth Across Middle Market and Emerging Corporate Segments.”

Alebiosu emphasised that the real sector forms the backbone of national prosperity, noting that access to finance is essential for unlocking its full potential.

“That is why we have placed this subject at the heart of our discussion — to catalyse sustainable growth and inclusion where it matters most,” he said.

According to the FirstBank chief, the institution empowers Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and emerging corporates through tailored products and services designed to stimulate growth across their value chains, thereby contributing to Nigeria’s broader economic evolution.

He further stressed that collaboration among policymakers, industry actors, and technology partners is critical to creating an enabling environment for business development.

“By forging partnerships across policy, industry, and technology, we can create an enabling environment that unlocks new opportunities for businesses to thrive. That is the driving purpose of today’s session,” Alebiosu added.

Highlighting FirstBank’s 131-year legacy, he reiterated the bank’s role as a trusted partner to SMEs and large corporates, providing comprehensive solutions that enhance innovation, resilience, and diversification in the economy.

Also addressing the session, Mrs Aishatu Bubaram, Group Executive of Commercial Banking, North Division, noted that the middle market and emerging corporates are pivotal to Nigeria’s future growth.

She described these enterprises as drivers of job creation, innovation, and sectoral diversification, particularly in agribusiness, healthcare, digital services, and light manufacturing.

Bubaram acknowledged the challenges these businesses face, including limited access to finance, insufficient advisory support, and fragile operational ecosystems. “FirstBank recognises that addressing these barriers is not just a banking imperative; it is a national imperative,” she said.

She affirmed that the bank continues to support enterprise growth and resilience through financial solutions, technological deployment, and strategic partnerships.

“This session is not merely about banking; it is about reimagining how finance can accelerate inclusion, how policy can create enabling environments, and how collective action can turn Nigeria’s vast entrepreneurial energy into shared prosperity,” Bubaram added.