Providus Bank has announced the launch of the Training to Transaction (T2T) Programme, a flagship initiative designed to accelerate African small and medium-sized enterprises from export readiness into active participation in global trade.
The programme, launched in partnership with Borderless Trade and Investment, Duchess NL, and the Global African Business Association under the ECOWAS Parliament at 25 Programme, is positioned as a strategic intervention aimed at strengthening Africa’s trade ecosystem.
According to the bank, the initiative seeks to close a longstanding gap between export training and actual transaction execution. By combining practical capacity building, compliance alignment, and direct market access, the programme is designed to help SMEs move beyond preparation and begin executing real international trade deals.
Speaking at the launch, Head of Global Trade and Structured Finance at Providus Bank, Biodun Ariyo, said financial institutions have a critical role to play in supporting regional trade growth.
He noted that banks are increasingly partnering with regional institutions to expand trade financing and facilitate cross-border transactions for businesses across Africa.
Also speaking, Head of Strategy and Innovation at Providus Bank, Ernest Elue, said the initiative reflects the bank’s commitment to empowering businesses to compete globally.
“At Providus Bank, we believe that sustainable economic growth is driven not just by preparing businesses, but by enabling them to perform. The T2T Programme reflects our commitment to transforming potential into productivity by equipping African SMEs with the tools, standards, and access required to compete and transact globally,” he said.
The programme will provide participating businesses with hands-on support for export readiness and transaction execution. It will also offer guidance on international regulatory and compliance requirements, as well as structured access to markets across Africa, the United States, the Caribbean, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
The initiative targets high-growth sectors with strong export potential, including agro and agro-processing, cosmetics, beverages, garment making and textiles, as well as leather and tanning.
According to Providus Bank, the programme aligns with its broader strategy of driving trade-led economic expansion by enabling indigenous enterprises to scale beyond domestic markets and integrate into global value chains.
The bank added that the initiative further strengthens its role as a facilitator of enterprise growth, cross-border trade, and sustainable economic development across the continent.
