Access Bank Ghana has held its maiden Distributors’ Forum with key Dangote Cement distributors in Tema, in line with its commitment to support the manufacturing value chain in Ghana.

The forum was aimed at accessing firsthand information on the needs of distributors in the industry to enable it proffer bespoke solutions to them.

Speaking on the theme ‘Building a Resilient Business in a Challenging Economy’, Executive Director of Wholesale Banking at Access Bank, James Bruce said distributors play a vital role in seamlessly connecting manufacturers and key stakeholders in the value chain. “They can expedite response times, enhance a company’s reach, and even create value-added packages that complement a company’s product offering and scope. Without distributors, either the buyer or seller would have to perform these functions, adversely affecting the bottom line”.

He said emerging from the exceptionally “long tunnel” of global challenges which affected every sector of the nation’s economy, businesses were not immune. It therefore behooves business leaders to prepare for both growth and resilience to thrive in these times.  It has also become imperative for business leaders to strategize and work assiduously to get businesses back on their feet, he added.

Mr. Bruce alluded to the important role the industry plays in the growing African population and said supporting the sector is rife. “As the African population continues to expand, Africa urgently needs infrastructure, housing, and commercial buildings, creating a massive opportunity for distributors in the cement distribution industry. As a financial institution, we have come to you to listen and have firsthand information on how we can serve you better.

“This forum forms part of the bank’s strategy to offer value to the sector, beginning with Dangote cement distributors. The Bank seeks to support the various sectors of the SME value chain, beginning with Dangote distributors with the plan to extend the engagement to other sectors including Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and pharmaceuticals among others”, Mr. Bruce revealed.

Also speaking at the forum, the Regional Head of Trade and Global Transaction Services in Africa, Rowly Isioro explained why Access Bank is the best banking partner for the distributors. He said, given the Bank’s scale of operation, its special offering for distributors, Access Bank remains the best option for all their banking needs.

“Access Bank delivers superior service through its wide branch network in 18 countries in Africa, the UAE, UK, PARIS and 3 representative offices in China, India, Lebanon and France. The Bank offers convenient banking, great collection channels for payments and settlements and provides financing support to the sector.

Director of Sales at Dangote Cement, Ikenna Dim, expressed high commendations for Access Bank for its strong presence in Africa and for supporting various sectors of the African economy. He shared his opinion on how this partnership has yielded positive results for the distributors, the Bank and Dangote Cement and was optimistic the engagement would further pave way for Dangote Cement distributors to access facilities from the Bank to boost their businesses.

Participants were equipped with valuable information on succession planning and basic financial management from key management staff of the Bank.

As a go-to Bank for SMEs, Access Bank remains committed to its promise of providing more than banking to customers. The bank presently operates through more than 700 branches across three continents and service outlets in 18 countries, including the UAE, UK, and France, and three representative offices in China, India, and Lebanon.