Providus Bank has unveiled its Training to Transaction (T2T) Programme, a new initiative designed to help African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) move beyond export preparation and actively participate in international trade.
According to the bank, the programme was developed in collaboration with Borderless Trade and Investment, Duchess NL, and the Global African Business Association, and aligns with the ECOWAS Parliament at 25 initiative.
The lender explained that the T2T Programme is aimed at addressing a long-standing gap in Africa’s trade ecosystem — the disconnect between export training and actual transaction execution. It combines practical capacity building, compliance support, and direct access to international markets to enable SMEs to transition from readiness to real trade participation.
Speaking at the launch, Biodun Ariyo, Head of Global Trade and Structured Finance, said financial institutions are increasingly playing a key role in driving regional trade by partnering with regional bodies to expand trade financing and ease cross-border transactions.
Also commenting, Ernest Elue, Head of Strategy and Innovation, said the programme reflects the bank’s commitment to turning business potential into measurable performance.
He noted that participants will benefit from hands-on export training, transaction execution support, and guidance on international regulatory standards, alongside structured access to markets across Africa, the United States, the Caribbean, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Elue added that the initiative will focus on high-growth sectors with strong export potential, including agro-processing, cosmetics, beverages, garments and textiles, as well as leather and tanning.
The T2T Programme, he said, is part of the bank’s broader strategy to promote trade-led economic growth by helping local businesses expand beyond domestic markets and integrate into global value chains, while strengthening its role in enterprise development and cross-border trade facilitation.
