Hot SourceDike Onwuamaeze
The Nigeria British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) and Moniepoint are collaborating to chart new paths of inclusive growth for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by unlocking their access to finance, strengthening business capacity and driving them to prosperity.
Speaking on Thursday during the NBCC and Moniepoint Inc. SME Event with the theme: ‘Money in Motion: Unlocking Capital, Driving SME Prosperity”, the President and Chairman of Council of NBCC, Mr. Abimbola Olashore, said that the chamber’s commitment to growing the SMEs is based on its belief that “when small businesses thrive, communities flourish, and nations prosper.”
Olashore said: “Today’s theme reflects that mission at its core: a commitment to unlocking access to finance, strengthening business capacity, and driving prosperity for SMEs. At NBCC, we believe that when small businesses thrive, communities flourish, and nations prosper.
“To our SME participants, today is about you. This platform has been designed to give you practical tools, access to networks, and insights that will help you grow beyond limits.
“Through exhibitions, conversations, and knowledge sharing, you will engage directly with partners, financiers, and industry stakeholders who are eager to support your journey.”
He said that by empowering entrepreneurs, “we are creating jobs, fostering innovation, and building a stronger foundation for sustainable economic growth.”
Speaking during the event, the Chairperson of MSMEs /Women and Youth Committee, NBCC, Mrs. Adeola Azeez, said that the event was meant to spark meaningful conversations, build valuable connections, and generate practical solutions that would empower SMEs to thrive in an increasingly dynamic global economy.
Azeez said, “We are not just talking about growth; we are taking concrete steps to help SMEs access capital, gain visibility, and connect with the right networks.
“For us at the NBCC MSME/Women and Youth Committee, this event is more than a convening. It reflects our mission to act as a bridge between businesses and opportunities, between today’s realities and tomorrow’s possibilities.
“When SMEs are empowered, trade deepens, innovation thrives, and economies are transformed.
“The future of Nigeria’s economy rests on the resilience and prosperity of SMEs. And the future of SMEs rests on how we collaborate, innovate, and act.”
In his keynote presentation during the event titled, ‘Unlocking Capital to Power SME Progress’, the Senior Vice President, Distribution Network, Moniepoint Inc., Mr. Ezekiel Sanni, said that SMEs’ growth depends much on timely access to credit facilities.
But the reality, according to Sanni, is that SMEs are still facing delays, harsh terms and lack of transparency in their search for credit to grow their businesses.
He said that driving real SMEs’ prosperity would require “engineering systems that move capital at the speed of trust,” building “infrastructure to make SMEs visible, creditworthy and scalable,” and reframing success the concept of “how much was disbursed to how many lives that are changed.”
Sanni, therefore, said that the process of proving credits to SMEs must be simple and without complexities in order to build trust between the lender and borrower.
He said, “Capital to SMEs must be fast because opportunities do not wait. Also, capital must come with supporting tools such as POS terminals, performance dashboards, Moniebook ERP, real time settlement and fraud protection.
“In addition, capital must be human and designed for real people from the ground up.”
Sanni also charged the NBCC to be a bridge between policy and SMEs; local businesses and international markets as well as capital and capacity.
He said that NBCC and other business member organisations should “push for SME-friendly trade finance model; champion smart regulations for digital lenders; foster UK-Nigeria SME partnerships and support for digital literacy and inclusion
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