Yetunde Moito is a banker with over 15 years experience spanning Corporate and Investment Banking, Private Banking, Retail and SME segments. She has a postgraduate in general management from the University of Wales, United Kingdom and is an Associate of the Nigerian Institute of Management.

Yetunde currently heads Sheventures, the Women in Business segment of FCMB, where she develops and drives the bank’s strategy and propositions for the women’s market. She is a strong advocate for women’s empowerment through financial inclusion and capacity building.

Yetunde Moito, Head of Women in Business at FCMB spoke about the impact Sheventures has made so far in lives of female entrepreneurs in this interview with Oyinlola Sale, Founder of Women Connect.

As the head of Sheventures, the Women in Business Segment of FCMB, what impact have you made so far in the area of encouraging female entrepreneurs?

FCMB Sheventures has facilitated women SMEs access to finance by providing up to 400 female empowered businesses zero-interest loans amounting to N700 million over the past two years. Sheventures has helped 500 women SMEs to bridge collateral deficit gaps by providing up to N5.2billion credit guarantees over the same period. This has helped viable businesses gain the much-needed financing needed to scale their businesses. Over 700 women have participated in structured mentoring programs and 15,000 benefited from free training and capacity development over the past two years. Women in businesses are also given unrestricted access to market resources and community on the FCMB Business Zone platform.

What inspired Sheventures to offer interest free loans to female entrepreneurs?

The Sheventures Zero Interest Loan unique proposition was inspired by the desire to help women SMEs overcome hurdles faced in accessing finance for their businesses. FCMB has always been a bank that aims to respond to the needs of the market and the zero-interest loan was one need observed in the women’s market which Sheventures chose to address. Another very important objective of the zero-Interest loan is the opportunity it gives first time female borrowers to access a bank loan under less stringent terms and conditions. This helps to build their confidence and capacity to engage a bank afterwards for other general loans. 

 

In the area of finance, what advice can you give to Women in Business?

I will advise women SMEs to as much as possible create structured businesses from the get-go. Female entrepreneurs need to be a lot more intentional about their business, beginning with the end in mind. Structure includes separating business affairs from personal dealings, routing business proceeds through a bank account dedicated to the business, keeping good financial records, constantly learning and re-learning and taking advantage of banking platforms, products and services to enhance their business operations.

There are various Accounts for Women in Business in the Banking Sector, what makes Sheventures unique?

Sheventures is unique because we have a very holistic approach to providing financing for women SMEs. We appreciate the need to support women with vital non-financial services to complement the financial products offered. Women businesses grow and thrive better when the have access to finance, knowledge, networks and markets, and these are the four verticals upon which all Sheventures propositions are developed and anchored.

Now, tell us what we should expect from Sheventures in the last quarter of this year?

Sheventures will be closing the last quarter of this year with another offer of Zero Interest Loans (up to N5million) to one hundred women SMEs. The Sheventures 3-days Business Entrepreneurship Workshop will also take place in October for all beneficiaries of the interest free loans. The Sheventures Mentoring Program will also kick off this quarter for 120 lucky female entrepreneurs. Sheventures will also be collaborating with renowned female networks to host high profile and impactful networking events. Stay tuned to FCMB social media pages for information about these exciting events.