FCMB Best SME Bank 2025 award recognises its leadership in funding and supporting Nigerian small and medium-sized enterprises

First City Monument Bank has been named Nigeria’s Best SME Focused Bank for 2025 by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, the bank announced on Monday.

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The recognition follows FCMB’s leading 24 per cent share of the nation’s N1.8tn total SME disbursement for 2024.

The award was presented at the 60th Annual Bankers Dinner held in Lagos, highlighting FCMB’s central role in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises across the country.

The bank’s SME financing initiatives target sectors identified as key drivers of Nigeria’s economy, including Crop Production, Trade, Telecommunications, Real Estate, and Food, Beverage, and Tobacco.

According to the bank, the award selection was based on industry-wide lending data provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria, which monitors the financial sector’s contribution to enterprise development.

Beyond funding, FCMB continues to support entrepreneurs through training programmes, advisory services, and strategic partnerships designed to enhance sustainable growth.

Accepting the award on behalf of the Managing Director and CEO, Yemisi Edun, Executive Director of Wholesale Banking, Obaro Odeghe, said the accolade affirms FCMB’s commitment to Nigerian entrepreneurs.

“We are truly honoured to be recognised by the CIBN, based on data from the Central Bank of Nigeria. This recognition affirms our purpose as an institution committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of Nigerian entrepreneurs,” he said.

FCMB’s dedication to inclusive growth was further highlighted when staff member Tooritsemoshe Ojei received the Next Generation Class of 2025 Award for outstanding performance and leadership potential.

The institution has previously been recognised with awards such as the Excellence Award for Promoting Financial Inclusion from the Mastercard Foundation and SME Financier of the Year (Africa) from the Global SME Finance Forum.

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By connecting people, capital, and markets, FCMB continues to strengthen the SME landscape in Nigeria and among Nigerians abroad, reinforcing its role as a catalyst for national development.