Union Bank, in collaboration with Connect Nigeria has announced the launch of Top 100 Emerging SMEs campaign.
The campaign was unveiled at the just concluded eBusiness fair for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) held in Lagos.
The fair organized by Connect Nigeria and sponsored by Union Bank, is reputed as one of the largest gatherings of SMEs in Africa, drawing business owners, startup founders and aspiring entrepreneurs from across the continent.
The Top 100 Emerging SMEs is an initiative aimed at identifying, honouring and supporting Nigeria’s leading upcoming SMEs who have shown resilience by thriving despite the challenging business environment while maintaining ethical business practices.
Speaking on the initiative, Union Bank’s Head of Retail Segments, Paul Aseme stated: “As a bank that recently crossed the century mark, we are committed to supporting the growth of Nigerian businesses so they can also be profitable and sustainable in the long term. We will continue supporting the SME sector which we recognize is a vital part of the Nigerian economy. Through this project, we intend to acknowledge and celebrate upcoming SMEs whose hard work and persistence deserve to be recognized.”
He said that the selection process to pick the top 100 emerging SMEs will involve a combination of voters’ polls and judges’ assessments, adding that criteria to be considered in selecting the top SMEs will include innovation, scalability, business feasibility, market opportunity, reach and revenue. Also speaking at the launch, Emeka Okafor, CEO, Connect Nigeria said: “The top 100 SMEs is a project aimed at amplifying the best from the SMEs segment in Nigeria.”
