FCMB Wins Best SME-Focused Bank 2025 as It Leads Nigeria’s SME Lending Market
First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has once again reinforced its leadership in Nigeria’s SME banking space after emerging as the Best SME-Focused Bank for 2025, an award conferred by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).
The honour reflects FCMB’s dominant position in the SME lending landscape, where it accounted for an impressive 24% of the industry’s N1.8 trillion SME disbursement in 2024—the largest share held by any Nigerian bank.
The recognition was formally announced during the CIBN’s 60th Annual Bankers’ Dinner, held in Lagos on November 28, 2025. The event celebrated institutions demonstrating resilience, innovation, and impact across the financial sector.
According to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which formed the basis of the award assessment, FCMB’s credit interventions are strategically aligned with Nigeria’s most productive sectors. Insights from the Q3 2024 GDP Report show that SME lending from FCMB supports high-growth segments such as Crop Production (26.51%), Trade (14.78%), Telecommunications (13.94%), Real Estate (5.43%), and Food, Beverage & Tobacco (4.06%).
Beyond lending, FCMB continues to expand its SME development footprint through capacity-building programmes, advisory support, and strategic partnerships tailored to help entrepreneurs overcome operational challenges and scale sustainably.
Speaking on behalf of FCMB’s Managing Director, Yemisi Edun, at the ceremony, the Executive Director for Wholesale Banking, Obaro Odeghe, noted:
“We are honoured to be recognised by CIBN based on verifiable data from the CBN. This award reaffirms our commitment to making a measurable impact in the lives of Nigerian entrepreneurs who remain the backbone of our economy. We will continue to empower SMEs with accessible funding, technology, and expert insights. By enabling their growth, we directly support national productivity and economic development.”
The evening also spotlighted FCMB’s rising talent, with staff member Tooritsemoshe Ojei receiving the Next Generation Class of 2025 Award for exceptional performance and leadership potential.
As part of FCMB Group Plc, the bank has consistently demonstrated its commitment to inclusive economic growth, especially through initiatives connecting businesses to finance and markets at home and abroad. This latest accolade adds to a growing list of recognitions, including:
- Excellence Award for Promoting Financial Inclusion for Grassroots Entrepreneurs (Mastercard Foundation)
- SME Financier of the Year (Africa) – Global SME Finance Forum/IFC
- Best Bank with the Highest Impact on First-Time MSME Borrowers – Development Bank of Nigeria
With its strengthened positioning, FCMB appears set to deepen its role in accelerating SME expansion, job creation, and broader economic transformation.
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