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DBN Disburses N400bn to MSMEs
The Development Bank of Nigeria Plc has disbursed the sum of N400 billion to over 150, 000 Micro, Small and Mediun Enterprises (MSMEs) since its inception in 2017.
Mr. Tony Okpanachi, the Managing Director (MD) of the bank, disclosed this during the second Annual Lecture series of the bank, which held virtually.
According to him, “Since commencing operations in 2017, we have disbursed over N400billion in loans to over 150,000 MSMEs, out of which, 57% are women-owned and 28% youth-owned businesses respectively, culminating in the creation of over 130,000 jobs.
“In the year 2020 alone, the sum of N190 billion was disbursed through 19 PFIs; out of which N9.8 billion were to 6,935 first time borrowers; N5.7 billion to 9,066 youths, and N11.8 billion to 25,171 women-owned businesses. Cumulatively, 83% reported an increase in their sales after obtaining the loan, while 48% were able to increase their staff strength after receiving the facility.”
DBN, the MD said, was interested in MSMEs because of its belief in, ‘”big things have small beginnings’ and according to the International Council for Small Businesses (ICSB), formal and informal MSMEs make up over 90% of all businesses, employing over 70% of the workforce and contributing to over 50% of GDP. Nigeria alone has over 41 million registered MSMEs.”
Mr. Okpanachi disclosed that from 2017 to date, 125 MSMEs were also trained, as part of the bank’s capacity-building initiative through the DBN Entrepreneurship Training Programme.
He added that the 2021 Entrepreneurship Training Programme has also commenced and being fully bankrolled by DBN under the platforms of Enterprise Development Centre of the Pan Atlantic University, Google, and Wider Perspectives – a specialised capacity building Agency for micro-businesses.
The MD said, “This underscores our commitment to the cause of championing conversation on how MSMEs can prosper despite the odds in these peculiar times.
“Therefore, it is at times like this that our mandate at DBN finds full expression as captured in our Vision which is “To facilitate Sustainable Socio-Economic Development through the Provision of Finance to Nigerian’s Underserved MSMEs through Eligible Financial Intermediaries.”
In his remarks, Dr. Shehu Yahaya, the Chairman of DBN, said that the theme of this year’s lecture, “Resilient Innovation: MSMEs’ Adaptability in Uncertain Times” spoke directly to the bank’s commitment, as a financial institution, towards providing a conducive environment for MSMEs in Nigeria to thrive.
His words, “Just as we continue our lending to MSMEs through our Participating Financial Institutions, we also extend our engagements with critical stakeholders to advocate for enabling policies that promote the growth and development of these essential segments of our economy.
“The Covid-19 pandemic, which has further complicated an already challenging micro and macro-economic environment, has impacted businesses adversely across all segments.
“The DBN Annual Lecture Series is one of the ways we continue to engage with all stakeholders to search for solutions and influence policies aimed at addressing the constraints faced by Micro, Small, and Medium Scale Enterprises.”
In his address, Prof. Benedict Oramah, the President of African Export-Import Bank (Afrexim) said that his organisation was working with various member countries to create the necessary environment for MSMEs to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA).
Accordingly, he said that the free movement of goods across borders of regional members would enhance opportunities for operators in the sub-sector to expand their market reach.
The Afrexim boss who was represented by the Mr. Denys Denya, described MSMEs as, “pillars upon which diversified economies could be built,” as well as, “the cornerstone for building resilient economies.”
Renaissance Africa Energy has completed the “acquisition of the entire (100%)” equity holding in Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC).
This is according to a statement on Thursday by the spokesman of Renaissance Africa Energy Holdings Tony Okonedo who said the acquisition was completed on the same day.
“This follows the signing of a sale and purchase agreement with Shell in January 2024, and obtaining all regulatory approvals required for the transaction. Going forward, SPDC will be renamed as ‘Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited,” the statement added.
“We are extremely proud to have completed this strategic acquisition. The Renaissance vision is to be ‘Africa’s leading oil and gas company, enabling energy security and industrialisation in a sustainable manner.’
We and our shareholder companies are therefore pleased that the Federal Government has given the green light for this milestone acquisition in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act,” said Tony Attah, managing director/CEO of Renaissance.
He added: “We extend our appreciation to the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources, the CEO of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the GCEO of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for their foresight and belief, paving the way for the rapid development of Nigeria’s vast oil and gas resources as a strategic accelerator for the country’s industrial development”.
Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) said it has commenced moves to ensure that its website was linked to the portals of institutions to enable ease of verification.
Mustapha Iyal, executive director, Operations of NELFUND, made this known during a sensitisation programme at the University of Ilorin for higher institutions in Kwara state recently.
Sharing more insight on the update, Iyal said: “We observed that one of the problems we are having is the problem of verification. So what NELFUND is trying to do is that we want to engage the institutions directly by linking the NELFUND activities on the institutional portals so by doing that when a student is trying to do registration in school, they can select whether they want to pay via NELFUND, cash or other means.
“So if the student opts to pay with NELFUND, they will fill in the application with their details which are already on the institutional portals so they don’t have to go to the NELFUND portal. That is the kind of portal we are looking at. We want to create a synergy.”
Speaking further on complaints raised by students of beneficiary institutions in Kwara state, the NELFUND official said the organisation has commenced work on issues raised.
He said: “On the issues raised by the students, we are working on ways to make the whole process seamless. We have already started working on the issues. We work 24 hours and we are always there for the student.”
Also speaking, Umar Farouk, a representative of the National Association of Nigerian Students on the NELFUND board, lauded the move by the administration of President Bola Tinubu to establish the student loan initiative.
According to Farouk, the move will further encourage indigent students to have access to higher education.
He stated: “One of the campaign promises of the President is the student loan and I am happy to say that the student loan fund is here to stay. Nigerians can now understand that children of nobodies can now access higher education easily. With access to student loan, everyone now has the ease to go to school.”
The implementation of the student loan scheme is President Bola Tinubu’s flagship project in the education sector.
Operators in the insurance sector have been advised to have a rethink on their traditional approaches to business and embrace change with agility and the wave of digital transformation in modern business. Doing so, he stated, will enable them remain relevant and competitive in the business world.
The Chairman, Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA), Mr Kunle Ahmed, gave the advice at the 2025 Insurance Chief Executives’ retreat organised by the insurers in Lagos.
Speaking on the relevance of the theme of the year’s retreat, “Digital Disruption and Social Innovation: Reshaping Our Traditional Models,” Ahmed said, “As we discuss digital disruption, I urge you to consider the following questions: how can we leverage technology to better understand and serve our customers, how can we harness the power of data to drive decision-making and innovation, most importantly, how can we create a seamless and integrated digital experience that not only meets but exceeds customer expectations?”
He said equally important was the role of social innovation in reshaping the insurance industry, adding that as insurers, operators have responsibility to address the evolving needs of their diverse communities and ensure that their services were inclusive, accessible, and beneficial to all.
“Social innovation challenges us to think beyond profit margins and focus on creating positive social impact. Inclusive insurance, for instance, aims to provide financial protection to underserved and vulnerable populations. By developing products that cater to the unique needs of these communities, we can foster financial inclusion and resilience. Similarly, sustainable insurance practices can help mitigate the impacts of climate change and promote environmental stewardship,” he said.
He urged the insurers that as they explore the concept of social innovation, they should reflect on how to design insurance products that were not only profitable but also socially impactful.
He further said they should think about how to engage with stakeholders to drive collective action towards sustainability as well as how to measure and communicate the social and environmental benefits of their initiatives.
Ahmed told the insurers that the journey of digital disruption and social innovation was not one that they could embark on alone, adding that it required collaboration, partnership, and a shared vision for the future.
He said as industry leaders, they must work together to foster a culture of innovation, openness, and continuous learning.
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