Business
Mayor Of Atlanta Spotlights Gains Of Fidelity Bank’s FINTCC Conference
as a catalyst for building lasting economic partnerships
The Mayor of Atlanta, Andre Dickens, has commended Fidelity Bank Plc for its commitment to deepening trade and investment relations between Nigeria and the United States, describing the Fidelity Nigeria International Trade & Creative Connect (FINTCC) as a catalyst for building lasting economic partnerships.
Speaking during the 2025 edition of the conference held in Atlanta, Georgia, Dickens said the gathering offered a rare opportunity for collaboration between Atlanta and Africa.
He drew parallels between the city and the continent, highlighting shared legacies of resilience and leadership as well as common strengths in logistics, finance, technology, and the creative industries. “This conference presents a unique opportunity for thought leaders from Atlanta and Africa to collaborate. Our shared legacies—from civil rights icons like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela to our mutual strengths in logistics, finance, technology, and the creative industries—form a strong foundation for trade and investment. We are not just networking; we are building lasting networks,” he said.
The conference, now in its third year in the United States, drew participants from across the Nigerian and American business communities and featured deal rooms, exhibitions, panel discussions, and a gala dinner. It provided a platform for Nigerian businesses to showcase their products to potential U.S. buyers, ranging from major retailers to small-scale distributors.
In her remarks, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, reiterated the bank’s vision to empower Nigerian businesses for global competitiveness. She explained that the initiative had evolved from training small businesses in export fundamentals to presenting them on an international stage. “Our goal has always been to help shift Nigeria from an oil-dependent economy to a diversified, non-oil-driven one—and exports are key to that transformation,” she said.
She stressed the value of connecting buyers and sellers directly, noting that Fidelity Bank has emerged as a leading bank in non-oil exports, particularly in agriculture. She also urged participants to take advantage of sideline sessions where regulators from both countries provided guidance on compliance standards and export processes.
Also speaking, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, led a delegation to the Georgia State Capitol where he declared Lagos open for business and investment. He emphasized the state’s readiness to forge enduring partnerships and proposed a sister-city framework to strengthen ties between Atlanta and Lagos.
Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged commercial bank with over 9.1 million customers across its 251 business offices and digital channels in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. It has received multiple local and international awards, including recognition as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions Awards.
