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L-R: Taiwo Oderinlo, President, Rental Professionals Society of Nigeria(RPSN); Tayo Kola-daisy,Vice President, Mainland Association of Venue Owners, Lagos. (AVOLN); Chizoba Iheme, Group Head, Financial Inclusion, Access bank;Njideka Esomeju, Group Head, Consumer Banking,Access bank; Bunmi Adeboye, Vice President, Rentals Professional Society of Nigeria; Yewande Shoneye-vaughan, Regional Sales Director, Retail Banking, Access bank; Abiodun Olubitan, Group Head, Women Banking, Access bank.at the women in the Event sector Round Table discussion held at Access Bank head office Lagos.
The W Initiative of Access Bank Plc has revealed that the event planning sector controls over $2 billion annually.
W Initiative is an arm of Access Bank Plc that empowers women in business.
A statement made available to PUNCH Online on Saturday indicated that the bank, through its Women Banking Department, held the W Initiative workshop for various vendors in the event industry, including event owners, rental professionals, caterers, event decorators, lighting and effects professionals, event planners, DJs/Emcees, and traditional Alagas.
The workshop, titled “‘Stepping into the Spotlight: Empowering Women in the Event Sector,’ aimed to highlight and support women in the industry.
The bank’s Group Head of Women Banking, Abiodun Olubitan, explained that the discussion aimed to bring attention to the contributions of women in the event sector.
“We are saying, okay, let’s hear you. What do you do? What would you need differently that the bank can provide to support your industry and help your businesses grow faster than you could on your own? We recognise that there are different associations even within that group.
“We recognise that this industry controls over $2 billion annually, and we believe it deserves our attention,” she said.
The guest speaker, Bolanle Olosunde-Jenrola, discussed leveraging social media to boost business and brand presence.
She advised participants on various strategies to grow online, including investing in paid advertising, creating quality content, understanding their audience, and choosing the right platform.
“Not every platform fits every audience,” she said. “Be very engaging and interact more with your customers or potential customers. Don’t be a copycat; be authentic.”
The bank’s Team Lead, Women Banking, Gbemisola Ajibulu, reiterated the bank’s commitment to assisting women in the event industry to grow their businesses.
She said, “We saw the need to bring members of the industry together, engage them, and build their capacities. At the Women’s Banking team, which handles the W Initiative, we understand that women play a crucial role in the economy. The event industry, in particular, is significant and predominantly composed of women. It made sense to focus on this sector, listen to what the women in the industry need from a bank, and how we can better serve them and their businesses.”
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