How SMEs can access debt, equity financing seamlessly, by Stanbic IBTC Bank

Capital is the single most important factor necessary for the sustainable growth of small and medium scale enterprises, head, SME Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Obinna Ukachukwu, has said.

He gave this clarification at the 2016 Global Possibilities Summit of Inspired Woman of Worth (iWOW) network which held in Lagos, recently.

Ukachukwu, who was a guest speaker and panelist at the summit, spoke on ‘How to Find, Create, Manage, Grow and Keep Real Money for your Business’.

He said without capital it would be difficult for any business to attract finance or investment.

Ukachukwu defined capital as the value of and the history behind a business.

According to him, if a promoter of a business does not know the value of the business, it is very unlikely that any investor or financier will be comfortable committing their money because the equity or debt investor is bringing in money in exchange for value.

“If you don’t know the value of your business then you do not expect a debt investor to put in his money,” Ukachukwu said.

He, however, assured that Stanbic IBTC Bank continues to work with operators in the SME sector, particularly through capacity building and information sharing, to ensure they build capital.

He explained that the value of a business can be determined if the proper structures, such as proper book keeping, annual reports, tax returns, auditor’s report, and record of banking transactions, which form the history of the business, have been put in place.

He therefore encouraged business owners and entrepreneurs to engage the services of professionals to ensure the right structures are in place.

“When you have generated capital, you have determined your business’ worth, you then need someone to attest to that in form of documentations, whether it is your banker, your auditor or your tax man. Having these in place will make it easier for you to attract debt or equity financing,” Ukachukwu stated.

He expressed confidence that Stanbic IBTC Bank will continue to assist the growth of micro, small and medium scale enterprises through targeted product and service offerings. According to him, the Stanbic IBTC SME seminars and the Virtual Business Centre (BizDirect) are two of the bank’s interventions to help build capacity and share needed information.

Stanbic IBTC Bank is a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, a full service financial services group with a clear focus on three main business pillars – Corporate and Investment Banking, Personal and Business Banking and Wealth Management.

Standard Bank Group, to which Stanbic IBTC Holdings belongs, is rooted in Africa with strategic representation in 20 key sub-Saharan countries and other emerging markets; Standard Bank has been in operation for over 151 years and is focused on building first-class on-the-ground financial services organisations in chosen countries in Africa and connecting other selected emerging markets to Africa and to each other.