“The event planning industry controls $2 billion annually.”

In the Initiative of Access, Bank Plc revealed that the event planning industry controls over $2 billion annually.

W Initiative is a branch of Access Bank Plc that empowers women in business.

A statement shared with PUNCH Online on Saturday said the bank, through its Women’s Banking Department, organized W Initiative workshops for various vendors in the event industry, including event owners, rental specialists, caterers, event decorators, lighting and effects specialists. lights, event planners, DJs/emcees and traditional Alagas.

The workshop, titled ‘Stepping into the spotlight: empowering women in the events sector’, aimed to highlight and support women in the industry.

Women Banking Group Head, Abiodun Olubitan, explained that the discussion was aimed at highlighting the contribution of women in the events sector.

“We say: OK, let’s listen to you. What are you doing? What do you need other than a bank that can provide to support your industry and help your businesses grow faster than you could on your own? We realize that even within this group there are different associations.

“We know this industry controls over $2 billion a year, and we believe it deserves our attention,” she said.

Guest speaker, Bolanle Olosunde-Jenrola, discussed the use of social media to enhance business and brand presence.

She advised participants on various online growth strategies, including investing in paid advertising, creating high-quality content, understanding their audience and choosing the right platform.

“Not every platform suits every audience,” she said. “Be very engaged and engage with your customers or potential customers more often. Don’t be a follower; be authentic.”

The bank’s Women Banking team leader, Gbemisola Ajibulu, has reiterated the bank’s commitment to supporting women in the events industry to grow their businesses.

She said: “We saw a need to unite industry members, engage them and build their capacity. At the Women’s Banking team, which supports Initiative W, we understand that women play a key role in the economy. The events industry in particular is significant and consists mainly of women. It made sense to focus on this sector, to listen to what women in the industry need from the bank and how we can better serve them and their businesses.”