The Economic Forum Series® (EFS), in collaboration with Nairametrics and DiGiComm Enterprises, has unveiled the launch of the Annual MSME Finance Awards Program. This inaugural event is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the innovation and impact of financial services and regulatory support initiatives that have significantly bolstered the growth of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across Nigeria and beyond.
The MSME Finance Awards were established to underscore the crucial role played by both financial and non-financial institutions, as well as non-state actors, in enhancing MSMEs’ access to financing. The awards aim to advance the broader goals of financial inclusion, highlighting the importance of FinTech, supportive government policies, legal frameworks, and capacity-building initiatives.
This new awards program is an extension of the Annual MSME & Start-ups Summit, which The Economic Forum Series® has been organizing since 2018. The awards will recognize institutions that have made significant contributions to supporting MSMEs through innovative financial products, services, and initiatives.
Award categories include titles such as 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, among others.
The event is officially endorsed by Nigeria’s Office of the Vice President on MSMEs & Job Creation, with the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) serving as a key institutional partner.
Nairalytics, the research arm of Nairametrics Financial Advocates, managed the nomination and shortlisting process independently. The winners will be announced during an awards ceremony set for September 27, 2024, at the Grand Banquet Hall of the Civic Centre in Lagos.
This event is poised to be a landmark occasion in recognizing and promoting the growth of MSMEs in Africa, highlighting the efforts of those contributing to the creation of an enabling environment for these enterprises to thrive.
