By BONIFACE AKARAH

Fidelity Bank’s FundHer programme has helped Akara Café finance the development of its premium sub-brand, Pavillon, providing the business with additional capital to pursue expansion while preserving funds for its existing operations.

The founder of Akara Café, Martha Essienanwan E., disclosed this during a recent conversation at her restaurant in Abuja, explaining how access to financing at a critical stage helped the business turn an expansion opportunity into a new venture.

According to her, the opportunity to develop a premium expression of the Akara Café brand came with significant financial demands, requiring careful planning to balance the cost of the new venture with the working capital needed to sustain daily operations.

“Like many growing businesses, we understood that expansion requires more than a great idea. It requires the right people, resources, planning and, importantly, access to capital,” she said.

Essienanwan explained that while the business was growing, committing funds to a new venture could have put pressure on its existing operations. The FundHer programme, she said, provided additional financing that enabled the company to meet some of the costs associated with developing Pavillon without unnecessarily depleting its working capital.

“That was where Fidelity Bank’s FundHer programme became particularly valuable to us,” she said.

She added that access to financing was about more than receiving money, noting that it gave the business greater flexibility to make strategic decisions and pursue opportunities without placing undue pressure on its existing operations.

“Access to financing is not simply about receiving funds. It is about having the financial room to make strategic decisions, pursue opportunities and continue building without unnecessarily putting pressure on existing operations,” the founder stated.

Beyond the financial support, Essienanwan praised the assistance she received from her account manager, Ms. Racheal, during the process.

She described the account manager as responsive and supportive, saying her guidance made the financing process easier to navigate at a time when the business was managing several aspects of its expansion.

The launch of Pavillon, the newest Akara Café branch in Abuja, marks a new phase in the company’s growth. According to the founder, the premium brand represents an opportunity to take the business into a new space while building on the experience and identity established by Akara Café.

“For us, opening Pavillon is more than simply adding another location; it is a reflection of our growth, our ambition and our willingness to explore new possibilities,” she said.

She noted that moving from an expansion idea to an actual physical location required planning, investment and commitment, adding that access to appropriate financial support helped the business take the step.

Essienanwan expressed appreciation to Fidelity Bank for supporting the company through FundHer, saying the experience reinforced the importance of having access to finance when growth opportunities arise.

“We are grateful to Fidelity Bank for being part of this chapter of our journey through FundHer and for supporting our ambition to build, expand and create something even bigger,” she said.

She added that the company would continue to focus on growing the Akara Café brand, creating memorable customer experiences and exploring new opportunities.

“Pavillon is one of those possibilities. And for us, it is only the beginning,” she said.