Access to finance is a major factor hindering Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria from optimally performing their role as catalysts to economic development, business lawyers have said.
In search of a way forward, the Capital Market Solicitors’ Association (CMSA) is focusing on how SMEs in the country can access funding through the capital market in their 2022 yearly business luncheon themed, “Capital Market, Startup Financing and Syndicate Funding: Ability of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises to Access the Capital Market”.
The event will be held on Thursday, June 23, 2022 at Radisson Blu Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. Temi Popoola, CEO, Nigerian Exchange Limited, will be the Keynote Speaker.
Other speakers include Adeleke Alex-Adedipe, Partner, DOA and Chairman, Conference Planning Committee, CMSA; Olumide Akpata, President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA); and Chike Obianwu, Partner, Templars and Chairman, CMSA.
The business luncheon will feature a fireside chat on the topic “Capital Market Startup and Financing for SMEs: Options & Current Obstacles for Capital Raising”, where Jumoke Olaniyan, Senior Vice President, FMDQ Exchange, will be interviewed by Tomiwa Aladekomo, CEO, Big Cabal Limited.
There will also be a panel session on “Capital Market Startup, Financing and Syndicate Funding: Ability of SMEs to Access the Capital Market”.
The session will be moderated by Vincent Iweze, Partner, Pentagon Partners and Vice Chairman, CMSA, while the panellists are Gbadebo Adenrele, Head, MD, United Capital; Funso Akere, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Capital; Zelda Akindele, Partner, Templars; and Olu Oyinsan, Managing Partner, Oui Capital.
The CMSA is an independent self-regulatory association of solicitors and commercial law firms engaged in capital market practice.
It was established in 2001 primarily as a platform to articulate and promote the interest of legal practitioners specialising or dealing in capital market transactions.
Through its flagship Yearly Business Luncheon, CMSA brings together solicitors, regulators, capital market operators and other participants in the sector to examine topical issues affecting the capital market.