Fidelity Bank Backs Africa’s Creative Economy, Unveils Business Support Initiatives at CANEX WKND
Fidelity Bank Plc has reiterated its commitment to strengthening Africa’s creative economy through financial support, business infrastructure, capacity development and access to international markets, as it participated in the 2026 Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) Weekend as an Official Trade Partner.
The four-day event, held from November 5 to 8 at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, Lagos, brought together creative entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and other stakeholders to explore investment opportunities and address challenges confronting Africa’s rapidly expanding creative industries.
The bank said its participation was aimed at bridging the gap between creative talent and the financial, technological and business resources required to transform creative ideas into sustainable commercial enterprises.
Speaking to journalists at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank, Dr Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, said Africa possessed enormous creative talent but needed appropriate funding structures and business support systems to unlock the sector’s economic potential.
She explained that the development of the creative economy required more than conventional financial assistance, stressing the need for investments in human capital, productive infrastructure, market connections and institutional capacity.
According to her, creative entrepreneurs need access to financial capital, alongside opportunities to acquire relevant skills, develop entrepreneurial capabilities and obtain the equipment and infrastructure required to expand their businesses.
She said: “Africa is blessed with extraordinary creative talent, but talent alone does not automatically translate into successful businesses. Creative entrepreneurs certainly need financial capital and the right funding to help viable businesses grow.
“To unlock the full economic potential of our creative industries, we must think about capital more broadly. This means investing in human capital by developing skills and entrepreneurial capabilities; deploying productive capital by providing access to tools, equipment and infrastructure; and building social and market capital by connecting creatives to networks, customers and commercial opportunities.
“Finally, we must strengthen institutional capital – the business structures, financial identity and discipline required for sustainable enterprise.”
A major attraction at the event was the Fidelity CreatiVerse Pavilion, which provided a platform for showcasing Nigerian creative talents and connecting practitioners with potential business opportunities.
The pavilion featured fashion brands OHIOLE LAGOS and SuperDiva by Valerie, alongside artworks by visual artists Emmanuel Anaiye Ifebunmi and Donald Onuoha.
Beyond the exhibition of creative works, the pavilion offered business engagement opportunities, with the bank’s financial experts providing information on small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) financing, digital payment solutions, card services, trade and export financing, account opening and other customer onboarding services.
Another major highlight was a masterclass organised by the bank’s SME Banking team, themed, “Beyond Funding: Building the Infrastructure for Africa’s Creative Economy”.
The session attracted more than 120 participants and brought together creative industry practitioners and banking professionals to examine the structural challenges limiting the growth of creative businesses across the continent.
Discussions focused on access to finance, production infrastructure, skills development, market access and the need to establish sustainable business models capable of supporting long-term growth.
Central to the discussions was CreatiVerse, an initiative located at the Fidelity SME Hub in Gbagada, Lagos, which is designed to provide creative entrepreneurs with access to production facilities, training opportunities and collaborative working spaces.
The facility features music, photography, podcast and content production studios, alongside learning and business development opportunities.
Through the initiative, Fidelity Bank is seeking to expand the range of support available to creative entrepreneurs beyond traditional banking services by providing an ecosystem where they can develop their skills, produce content, collaborate and build commercially viable businesses.
The bank also highlighted its efforts to connect Nigerian businesses with international markets through its trade and export banking services and the Fidelity Nigeria International Trade and Creative Connect (FNITCC).
The initiative is designed to link Nigerian enterprises with international buyers, investors and strategic business partners, thereby creating opportunities for local businesses to expand their reach and participate more actively in global trade.
The bank’s participation at CANEX WKND 2026 reflects growing recognition of the creative economy as an important contributor to economic diversification, enterprise development and employment generation across Africa.
By combining financing with production facilities, entrepreneurial training, digital solutions and international market connections, Fidelity Bank said it was working towards building a more supportive business environment for creative entrepreneurs.
Fidelity Bank is a full-service commercial deposit money bank serving more than 14 million customers through digital banking channels and 255 business offices in Nigeria, as well as its United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The financial institution has received several local and international recognitions, including the 2025 Development Bank of Nigeria Innovation Award for MSME support.
It also won the Best Retail and SME Bank Award from Independent Newspapers, Best Bank for Export and Trade Finance, and Most Innovative Bank of the Year at the 2025 BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions Awards.
Other recognitions include Nigeria’s Best Private Bank at the 2025 Euromoney Awards, Most Improved Commercial Bank of the Year by Nairametrics, SME Bank of the Year by NewsDirect and the Straight-Through Processing Excellence Award from Citi Group.
