Financial Inclusion: DBN Wins Leadership Award, Pledges More Support For MSMEs
For its unwavering commitment to ensure Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria, enjoy access to financing options, Development Bank of Nigeria Plc (DBN) has emerged winner of the Financial Inclusion Leadership Award
The bank bagged the honours at the “Champions of Inclusion Nigeria Financial Inclusion Awards” in the recently-concluded International Financial Inclusion Conference (IFIC) 2024, organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in collaboration with the World Bank and other stakeholders.
An excited DBN’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tony Okpanachi, who spoke on the Bank’s achievement, said winning the prestigious Financial Inclusion Leadership Award was a testament to its unrelenting efforts in expanding access to financial services for MSMEs in Nigeria.
According to him; “We are honoured to receive the Financial Inclusion Leadership Award, which is a testament to our bank’s commitment to expanding access to financial services for all Nigerians.
“This award recognises our efforts to bridge the financial inclusion gap, particularly for a priority sector like the MSMEs.
“Additionally, this award is a validation of our strategic focus on driving financial inclusion for small businesses, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this initiative that drives the process.”
He further assured thus; “We will continue to innovate and expand our financial inclusion programmes, ensuring that more Nigerian small and startup businesses have access to services.”
Reacting to the development, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Bank, Mr Bonaventure Okhaimo, who receiving the award on behalf of DBN, expressed gratitude to the organisers for the recognition, describing it as a significant milestone.
He said; “The Financial Inclusion Leadership Award is a significant milestone for our Bank, demonstrating our dedication to driving financial inclusion and economic growth in Nigeria.
“This award acknowledges our Bank’s innovative approach to widening opportunities for MSMEs in Nigeria to grow and scale their businesses”
For the Bank’s COO; “This award will motivate us to continue pushing the boundaries of financial inclusion, exploring more innovative solutions and partnerships to expand our reach and impact.
“We are committed to ensuring that more small businesses and startup enterprises in Nigeria have access to financial services, this award will further inspire us to accelerate our efforts in this regard”.
As a key highlight of the International Financial Inclusion Conference (IFIC), the Financial Inclusion Leadership Award celebrates exceptional contributions to actions aimed at achieving the goals outlined in Nigeria’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy 3.0.
The awards recognize organizations and individuals across various sectors who are driving meaningful dialogue, and broadening access to financial services for low-income excluded priority segments, including the MSMES sector, with inadequate funding being one of the challenges that inhibit the growth of small businesses in the country.
