Source: Thisdaylive
The Economic Forum Series® (EFS), in collaboration with Nairametrics and DiGiComm Enterprises, has announced MasterCard and Smartcash Payment Service Bank (PSB) as the Headline Partners for the highly anticipated Annual MSME Finance Awards 2024. The event is set to take place on September 27, 2024, at the Grand Banquet Hall, Civic Centre, Lagos.
This prestigious occasion is designed to recognize and celebrate innovation, policy interventions, and regulatory support that contribute to driving 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 also boasts the support of significant stakeholders, including the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access (EFInA), the Association of Licensed Mobile Payment Operators (ALMPO), and the FinTech Association of Nigeria (FinTechNGR).
Additional partners such as Access Bank, Sterling Bank, Hydrogen, Moniepoint, Anxard Mansard, Heirs Insurance, Alternate Bank, and IEI, will all play critical roles in enhancing the MSME ecosystem.
The MSME Finance Awards aim to shine a spotlight on both financial and non-financial institutions, as well as other non-state actors, that enhance MSMEs’ access to finance, foster financial inclusion, and promote capacity-building efforts. This annual awards event is an extension of the Annual MSME & Start-ups Summit, which has been organized by The Economic Forum Series® since 2018.
Commenting on the forthcoming event, Jude Ndu, CEO of Economic Forum Media Limited, expressed enthusiasm, stating, “We are thrilled to celebrate the innovation and impact across the MSME financial services and non-financial ecosystem through these awards. Since launching the Annual MSME & Start-ups Summit in 2018, we’ve felt it was important to recognize those institutions driving growth and sustainability for MSMEs in Nigeria.”
The MSME Finance Awards will honor a diverse range of contributors, including financial institutions, government agencies, and other essential stakeholders involved in the MSME landscape. Award categories 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.
Ugodre Obi-Chukwu, CEO of Nairametrics, also spoke about the event, noting, “The nomination and shortlisting process has been handled by Nairalytics, the research and analytics arm of Nairametrics Financial Advocates, ensuring an impartial and thorough evaluation. Our mission at Nairametrics is to empower MSMEs with data-driven insights. These Awards recognize the institutions that exemplify our core values of innovation, execution, sustainability, and optimization.”
Further elaborating on the event, Ukaobisike Uzoije, CEO of DiGiComm Enterprises Ltd, the support and PR partner for the Awards, remarked, “The Awards demonstrate the commitment to MSME growth and development in Nigeria. It will also provide a platform for thought leadership, networking, and knowledge sharing, with keynote presentations and fireside chats enhancing the event’s value.”
