At this weekend’s Civic Centre MSME Awards, which were presented in conjunction with the prestigious inaugural Nairametrics-The Economic Forum, SmartCash Payment Service Bank—a subsidiary of Airtel Nigeria—was recognised as the MSME Payment Service Bank of the Year.
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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 honour, saying it serves as inspiration to keep providing small businesses with creative and safe financial access. Being named the MSME Payment Bank of the Year is an honour for us.
This award is a testament to our steadfast dedication to helping Nigerian small companies through the provision of creative, easily accessible, and safe financial solutions. MSMEs are the backbone of our economy, and we think that by enhancing their access to digital financial services, we are not only helping them grow but also supporting broader economic development. This acknowledgement inspires us to keep working towards our goal of enabling Nigerian business owners to access finance.” The Economic Forum CEO Jude Ndu praised SmartCash for its ongoing enhancements and assistance to the financial industry, saying, “We believe today marks a significant step in empowering MSMEs to overcome the challenges in Nigeria related to financial inclusion.”
“As a media organisation, this is our way of contributing to the growth of MSMEs, which are a critical driver and backbone of the Nigerian economy,” said Ugo Obichukwu, the founder of Nairametrics, who was also speaking at the event.
They operate with a resilient spirit that drives Nigeria ahead, contributing 50% of our GDP and more than 80% of our employment. The goal of the award is to encourage and inspire others to support MSMEs while also recognising and rewarding innovation and impact.
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.
