Fortis Mobile Money has unveiled a major MSME summit as part of its new strategy to deepen support for small businesses and reposition itself as a technology-driven financial partner for entrepreneurs across Nigeria.
The company, one of the country’s earliest licensed mobile money operators, said small businesses remain the backbone of Nigeria’s economy and will sit at the centre of its long-term growth plan as it evolves into a fully digital platform. A senior executive explained that entrepreneurs do not lack ambition or innovation but struggle because they are often shut out from finance, essential tools, reliable markets and predictable digital payment systems. The executive added that the company intends to fill this gap by building a stronger digital foundation for everyday transactions.
Fortis noted that MSMEs make up more than 90 percent of registered businesses nationwide and contribute nearly half of Nigeria’s GDP, yet they continue to battle limited access to credit, weak digital infrastructure and an overreliance on informal systems that restrict scalability. The company said its renewed direction builds on more than a decade of work within financially excluded communities, especially in delivering social and humanitarian payments across the country.
As part of its restructuring, the organisation is shifting to a technology-first model designed to simplify the daily operations of small businesses. It said the new model will offer accessible digital payments, business tools for merchants, cooperative savings structures, and financial products tailored specifically to entrepreneurs. The intention, according to the firm, is to eliminate common friction points that slow business growth. These include fragmented collections, cash-heavy operations, poor access to working capital, and minimal financial visibility, which often leave businesses without clear records to qualify for loans.
To push this agenda further, Fortis is launching its first MSME Summit, describing it as a marketplace of ideas and a collaborative arena for reimagining the future of small business financing in Nigeria. The event is expected to gather entrepreneurs, cooperative groups, policymakers, private-sector leaders, and development partners to explore digital payments, data-driven lending, cooperative finance, agent networks, and emerging technologies that can unlock new opportunities for MSMEs. The summit will also serve as a platform to showcase the company’s expanding suite of tools aimed at improving collections, broadening credit access, strengthening resilience, and gradually integrating informal businesses into the formal economy.
A senior executive said the company sees MSMEs as partners rather than customers, adding that their success represents the stability of the wider economy. The summit, according to the organisation, will enable dialogue, shared learning and co-creation of solutions that respond directly to current realities facing entrepreneurs.
Fortis described the upcoming summit as a strategic milestone in its transformation, especially at a time when many businesses are struggling with economic uncertainty, high operating costs and unpredictable market conditions. The firm emphasised that supporting MSMEs is essential for long-term national economic strength and cannot be treated as an optional priority.
The Fortis MSME Summit is scheduled for 21 November 2025 at The Wells Carlton Hotels in Abuja, with participation expected from state representatives, private-sector leaders, cooperative networks, academia, and frontline MSME operators. With this renewed direction, the firm said it aims to position itself not merely as a mobile payments provider but as a development partner committed to the millions of entrepreneurs driving economic activity across Nigeria and the broader African market.
