Network News: Alliance Members Recognized for WMSME Finance

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Alliance members continue to earn international recognition for their pioneering work in financing women-led SMEs, solidifying their position as global leaders in advancing women’s entrepreneurship.

City Bank’s commitment to gender equality was recognized with an Honorable Mention in the “SDG Brand Champion in Women Empowerment” category at the 2024 SDG Brand Champion Awards.

They were also among the five members that received top honors at the 2024 SME Finance Forum in Sao Paulo, Brazil:

  • Access Bank PLC secured the “Best Financier for Women Entrepreneurs – Africa” award, highlighting their exceptional dedication to empowering SMEs and driving innovation in enterprise finance.
  • City Bank claimed the “Best Financier for Women Entrepreneurs – Asia” award for its outstanding work through the SME Division and their dedicated women’s banking initiative, City Alo.
  • BRAC Bank was awarded “Product Innovation of the Year – Commercial Banks, Asia” for their groundbreaking SME products that successfully integrate unbanked micro and small entrepreneurs in Bangladesh into the formal banking sector.
  • Finbots.ai earned the “Product Innovation Champions of the Year” in the non-bank category for their cutting-edge AI-powered credit modeling solution, which has revolutionized lending access for traditionally underserved SMEs.
  • NMB Bank, Tanzania, received the “Sustainable Bond of the Year” award for their innovative Jasiri Gender Bond, which is expected to provide up to 3,000 women in Tanzania with access to the financing necessary to start or grow their own businesses.

These achievements underscore Alliance members’ transformative impact on WMSME finance in their markets, regions, and globally. We proudly celebrate the success of Access Bank, BRAC, City Bank, Finbots.ai, and NMB Tanzania as recognized champions of women entrepreneurship.