Nairametrics unveil nominees for maiden MSME award 

Nigeria’s leading financial literacy news platform- Nairametrics will hold its maiden Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) award night on September 27, 2024.

The event is billed to hold at the Civic Centre towers along Ozumba-Mbadiwe avenue, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The award ceremony will honour financial services organisations from banks to insurance companies, fintechs etc that have made real impact on MSMEs in Nigeria and ensured their sustenance.

Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) contributes in no small measure to Nigeria’s economy in terms of GDP and job creation. Despite losing over three million businesses in the past years, the contribution of the MSME sector to employment increased by 3.5%.

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), MSMEs contribute around 48% to GDP and around 80% of total employment in the country. Hence, organisation who foster the activities of these businesses ought to be recognised.

The Nairametrics MSME award is split into 18 categories from the MSME bank of the year to financial service company offering the best solution to Decentralised Financing (DFIs) to MSMEs.

Nominations for the awards were meticulously and objectively selected by a panel of experts well versed in the financial services and business landscape in Nigeria and the activities of companies nominated.

The selection criteria focused on MSMEs that have actively promoted financial inclusion through their business practices, the products or services they provide, or their efforts to engage underserved communities.

The following are award categories and nominations

MSME Bank of the Year: 

• Sterling Bank

• Access Bank

• Wema Bank

MSME Microfinance Bank of the Year: 

• LAPO MFB

• VFD

• Moniepoint

MSME FinTech Platform of the Year: 

• MasterCard

• Flutterwave

• Interswitch

MSME Payment Service Bank (PSB) of the Year: 

• MOMO PSB

• Airtel Smartcash

• 9PSB

Award for Best MSME Payment/Remittance Platform: 

• Palmpay

• Hydrogen Payment

• Opay

Award for Best MSME Insurance Company of the Year: 

• AXA Mansard

• Heirs Insurance

• AIICO

Award for Best in MSME Partnership and Collaboration (CSR Initiative): 

• Sterling Bank

• IEI

• Moniepoint

Award for Best in MSME Health Insurance: 

• AXA Mansard

• Leadway Assurance

• Heirs Insurance

Award for Best in MSME InsurTech: 

• Curacel

• Cassava Insurance

• Heirs Insurance

Award for Best MSME Trade Finance: 

• United Bank of Africa

• Eco Bank

• Zenith Bank

Award for Best MSME Agri Finance: 

• FCMB

• Fidelity Bank

• Unity Bank

Award for Best in Payment Security, Data Protection & Fraud Prevention for MSMEs: 

• Remita

• Paystack

• eTranzact

Award for Best in MSME Non-Interest Banking: 

• JAIZ Bank

• Alternate Bank

• Lotus Bank

• Suntrust Bank

Award for Best in MSME Finance for Women & Youth Entrepreneurship: 

• Wema Bank

• FCMB

• Access Bank

Award for Best in MSME Financial Inclusion (FinTech Card): 

• MasterCard

• Visa

• Verve

Award for Best in MSME Financial Inclusion (Microfinance Bank): 

• LAPO MFB

• VFD

• Moniepoint

Award for Best in MSME Financial Inclusion (Bank): 

• Sterling Bank

• Access Bank

• FCMB

Award for Best in MSME Financial Inclusion (DFI): 

• DBN

• Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM)
• BoI-ITC (BoI Investment & Trust Company Ltd)