At the inaugural Nairametrics-The Economic Forum MSME Awards, which were hosted over the weekend at the Civic Centre in Lagos, SmartCash Payment Service Bank—a division of Airtel Nigeria—was recognised as the MSME Payment Service Bank of the Year.
The Economic Forum and Nairametrics, the top financial news and analysis platform in Nigeria, partnered to organise the award ceremony, which honoured financial services companies for their impact, innovation, and dedication to empowering Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria by providing them with access to financing.
Chief Executive Officer of Smartcash PSB, Tunde Kuponiyi, commented on the award and said it serves as an inspiration to keep providing small businesses with safe, creative loan options, BrandSpur business, and economy news reports.
According to Kuponiyi: “We are honoured to be recognized as the MSME Payment Bank of the Year. This award reflects our unwavering commitment to empowering small businesses across Nigeria by providing innovative, accessible, and secure financial solutions. MSMEs are the backbone of our economy, and we believe that by improving their access to digital financial services, we are not only helping them grow but also driving broader economic development. This recognition motivates us to continue in our mission of creating financial inclusion for Nigerian business owners.”
Also read: https://brandspurng.com/2024/10/04/google-announces-application-to-bold-internship-programme/
The Economic Forum CEO, Jude Ndu praised SmartCash for its ongoing development and assistance to the financial industry, saying: “We believe today marks a significant step in empowering MSMEs to overcome the financial inclusion challenges in Nigeria.”
“As a media organization, this is our way of contributing to the growth of MSMEs, which are a critical driver and backbone of the Nigerian economy. They Contribute 50% of our GDP and over 80% of our workforce, operating with a spirit of resilience that propels Nigeria forward. The award seeks to recognize and reward innovation and impact, and also inspire and motivate others to support MSMEs,” stated Nairametrics founder Ugo Obichukwu, who also spoke at the occasion.
Prominent figures from the finance industry attended the event, including Vice President, Customer Solutions Centre, East & West Africa, Mastercard; Kari Tukur, Executive Director, Zenith Bank; Anthony Akindele Ogunranti, Head of Retail Banking at Polaris Bank; Taye Mosaku, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on MSMEs and Job Creation, Temitola Adekunle-Johnson.
