Polaris Bank was adjudged at the weekend as Nigeria’s topmost bank in lending to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The award recognised Polaris Bank’s longstanding commitments to supporting MSMEs through several direct and indirect funding channels.

Expert judges at the inaugural MSME Finance Awards 2024, organised by Nairametrics and The Economic Forum, at the weekend in Lagos, said the choice of Polaris Bank as the ‘Best in MSME Lending’ (Banking Sector) was based on the bank’s provision of sustainable finance and funding to entrepreneurs in the MSMEs sector to grow their businesses.

MSMEs are the largest employers in the Nigerian economy, providing immense contributions in job creation and economic activities. Recent data showed that the contribution of the MSME sector to employment had increased by 3.5 per cent.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimated that MSMEs contribute around 48 per cent to GDP and around 80 per cent of total employment in Nigeria.

The award ceremony, at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, cemented Polaris Bank’s reputation as a pacesetter in industry standards for lending and impact-driven financing to critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Commenting on the award, Managing Director, Polaris Bank, Mr. Kayode Lawal, said: “We are honoured to receive this prestigious award, recognising our commitment to empowering Nigerian MSMEs. Micro, small, and medium businesses are pivotal to national economic growth; they are the backbone for large corporations and drive innovation and job creation.