Damenews 
Awarded:
- SME Financier of the Year (Africa)
- Platinum Award for Best Financier for Women Entrepreneurs (Africa)
Wema Bank, Nigeria’s foremost innovative bank and pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, has received two awards of excellence at the Global SME Finance Forum Conference Awards 2024, held in São Paulo, Brazil, from September 16 to 18, 2024. The awards received are SME Financier of the Year (Africa) and Platinum Award for Best Financier for Women Entrepreneurs (Africa).
The Global SME Finance Forum is the world’s leading platform focused solely on scaling SME financing worldwide. Managed by this Forum, the Global SME Finance Forum Conference Awards acknowledge the effective and successful practices of financiers across the globe, honoring the innovative products and services they create for SMEs and celebrating exceptional financial institutions. Wema Bank emerged as Africa’s top financier not only for the general SME landscape but also specifically for women-owned SMEs in the 2024 edition of the awards.
Reputed as the bank of choice for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Wema Bank is recognized for its commendable track record in developing innovative and impactful products, services, solutions, and opportunities for businesses of all sizes across Nigeria. The Bank’s impact includes affordable financing options, seamless payment collection solutions, access to markets, and digital solutions for efficient business operation and management. Through its women-focused initiative, SARA by Wema, the Bank tailors its SME offerings specifically for women, helping them build sustainable businesses and access the resources needed to scale. Additionally, the Bank supports their growth with affordable or free healthcare packages. Wema Bank is indeed deserving of its recognition as Africa’s top financier for SMEs, particularly women entrepreneurs.
Expounding on the Bank’s commitment to empowering MSMEs, the MD/CEO of Wema Bank, Moruf Oseni, articulated the big picture for the Bank: “MSMEs make up the bulk of Nigeria’s economy and are critical to mitigating unemployment and other macroeconomic challenges, as well as promoting innovation and boosting economic development. At Wema Bank, we recognize the potential that MSMEs hold and the challenges that threaten this potential. We are committed to providing viable, accessible, and effective solutions tailored to the needs of businesses of all sizes across Nigeria, especially women-owned businesses. There is a rising need for inclusive empowerment strategies to stimulate growth in the SME sector and bridge the gap in gender equality, and we have undertaken this responsibility. Our mission is to empower lives through innovation, and we will continue seeking effective ways to empower businesses for optimal productivity and sustainable growth.”
“We are honored by the global recognition accorded to us by the Global SME Finance Forum. As we receive these awards, we reiterate our commitment to providing businesses with the resources they need and a bouquet of intelligent solutions that mitigate prevalent challenges. Thank you to the Global SME Finance Forum for this acknowledgment, and to our valued customers who continue to entrust their businesses and financial well-being in our hands. This prestigious recognition honors our unwavering commitment to empowering SMEs and fostering innovation in SME finance, fueling our drive to consistently exceed expectations. We are indeed the bank of choice for MSMEs and women across Nigeria, and we will never relent in empowering women to thrive and businesses to scale, regardless of economic fluctuations,” Oseni remarked.
Wema Bank continues to raise the standards of banking and financial services in Nigeria, demonstrating a commitment to generating positive impact across diverse sectors, exceeding expectations, and empowering lives and businesses for success.
Businesses interested in accessing the Bank’s tailored range of finance options and business-centric solutions are encouraged to visit https://wemabank.com/smes or email smehelpdesk@wemabank.com to get started.
