Providus Bank has announced the commencement of the Training to Transaction (T2T) Programme, a flagship initiative designed to accelerate African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from export readiness into active participation in international trade.

The programme, which is in partnership with Borderless Trade and Investment, Duchess NL and the Global African Business Association, under the ECOWAS Parliament at 25 Programme, is positioned as a strategic intervention in Africa’s trade ecosystem.

It addresses a persistent gap – disconnect between training and actual transaction execution, the bank said.

Through a structured blend of practical capacity building, compliance alignment, and direct market access, the programme is to enable SMEs to move beyond preparation and into measurable trade outcomes across global markets.

Speaking on the launch, Head of Global Trade and Structured Finance at Providus, Dr Biodun Ariyo, said financial institutions also have a crucial role in supporting regional trade growth and banks are now partnering with regional institutions to expand trade financing and facilitate cross-border transactions among businesses.

Head of Strategy and Innovation at Providus, Ernest Elue, said: “At Providus Bank, we believe that sustainable economic growth is driven not just by preparing businesses, but by enabling them to perform. The T2T Programme reflects our commitment to transforming potential into productivity by equipping African SMEs with the tools, standards, and access required to compete and transact globally.”