MasterCard, Airtel Smartcash Headline The 2024 Annual MSME Finance Awards Programme

The Economic Forum Series® (EFS), Nairametrics, and DiGiComm Enterprises has announcedMasterCard and Smartcash Payment Service Bank (PSB) as the Headline Partners for the Annual MSME Finance Awards 2024, scheduled for 27the September, 2024 at the Grand Banquet Hall, Civic Centre, Lagos.

This prestigious event is designed to recognize innovation, policy interventions, and regulatory support that drive financial inclusion and sustainable growth for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria.

Endorsed by the Office of the Vice President on MSMEs & Job Creation, Federal Republic of Nigeria, the event is also supported by key stakeholders such as the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access (EFInA), Association of Licensed Mobile Payment Operators (ALMPO), and the FinTech Association of Nigeria (FinTechNGR).

Other partners include Access Bank, Sterling Bank, Hydrogen, Moniepoint, Anxard Mansard, Heirs Insurance, Alternate Bank, and IEI each playing a vital role in the MSME ecosystem.

The MSME Finance Awards aim to spotlight both financial and non-financial institutions, as well as non-state actors, that enhance MSMEs’ access to financing, foster financial inclusion, and promote capacity-building initiatives. This annual event is an extension of the Annual MSME & Start-ups Summit, which has been promoted by The Economic Forum Series® since 2018.

Speaking on the upcoming event, Jude Ndu, CEO of Economic Forum Media Limited remarked, “We are excited to celebrate the innovation and impact across the MSME financial services and non-financial ecosystem through these awards. Since the inception of the Annual MSME & Start-ups Summit in 2018, we felt it was time to recognize the institutions driving the growth and sustainability of MSMEs in Nigeria.”

The MSME Finance awards will honor a wide range of contributors, including financial institutions, government agencies, and other key stakeholders in the MSME space. Competitive categories for the awards include: MSME Bank of the Year, Best in MSME Financial Inclusion, Best MSME Microfinance Bank, Best MSME FinTech Payment Platform and MSME Insurance Company of the Year.

Speaking also, the CEO of Nairametrics, Ugodre Obi-Chukwu, noted that, “The nomination and shortlisting process has been conducted by Nairalytics, the research and analytics division of Nairametrics Financial Advocates, ensuring an impartial and rigorous evaluation. Our mission at Nairametrics is to empower MSMEs with data-driven insights. The Award celebrates those institutions that embody our values of innovation, execution, sustainability, and optimization.”

Giving more details about the event, CEO of DiGiComm Enterprises Ltd, the event’s support and PR partner, Ukaobisike Uzoije, said, “The Awards showcase the commitment to MSME growth and development in Nigeria. It will also serve as a platform for thought leadership, networking, and knowledge sharing through keynote presentations and fireside chats.”