LAGOS.08.05.2026. As part of efforts to promote SMEs and strengthen support for operators in the informal sector, Unity Bank has continued to empower small-scale traders and shop owners across Nigeria through its initiative called Shop Collateralised Facility, SHOCOF.SHOCOF is an innovative loan product, and Unity Bank has disbursed over N500 million to beneficiaries, significantly improving access to financing, and further driving financial inclusion. Originally introduced as a targeted intervention for traders in Southeast Nigeria, SHOCOF quickly gained traction and broad acceptance for its flexibility and tailored structure, prompting the Bank to expand the product nationwide.Under the initiative, eligible customers can use their shops as collateral to access financing. The product simplifies access to credit by leveraging the commercial value and stability associated with fixed business locations, enabling traders to secure funds without the stringent collateral requirements associated with traditional lending structures.The facility provides working capital support that enables beneficiaries to restock goods, increase inventory turnover, improve cash flow, and respond more effectively to market demand.Recent reports indicate that more than 80 per cent of Nigeria’s small businesses operate informally, with many relying on personal savings and informal borrowing channels due to limited access to Bank credit. SHOCOF was developed to bridge this gap through a lending model tailored to the realities of market traders and small shop owners.Speaking on the impact of the product, the Group Head, Risk Management, Unity Bank, Olusegun Oladipo, said the Bank recognised the need for financing solutions aligned with the realities of informal sector businesses.“SHOCOF was created to address a critical gap within the small business ecosystem by providing access to credit through a structure that traders can satisfactorily meet without much ado,” Oladipo said.He added: “By recognising the value and stability embedded in their businesses, we have been able to support traders with the capital required to sustain and grow their operations.”Also commenting, Divisional Head, SME & Retail Banking, Unity Bank, Adenike Abimbola, said the nationwide adoption of the product reflects proper market segmentation to meet the growing demand for accessible financing among small business owners.“What started as a targeted intervention in the Southeast, which quickly gained momentum because the product directly addressed the realities of everyday traders,” Abimbola said.Over the years, Unity Bank has continued to introduce targeted solutions aimed at empowering entrepreneurs, including its flagship Yanga account package developed to support female entrepreneurs.The Bank reaffirmed that expanding access to capital for underserved business segments remains critical to boosting trade, strengthening local economies, and driving sustainable economic growth.

Photo caption:From left: President, Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON), Dr. Femi Egbesola and Head, SME Segment, Union Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Ayokunnumi Abraham during the presentation of the Best Bank for SME Growth Banking Initiative Award, 2025, to Union Bank of Nigeria at the 6th Nigeria National SME Business Awards (NNSBA), held on April 30, 2026, at the Rotary Centre, Ikeja, Lagos

Union Bank of Nigeria has been named winner of the Best SME Growth Banking Initiatives Award (2025) at the Nigeria National SME Business Awards, organised by the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON) in partnership with the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment.The recognition arrives at a moment when the relationship between Nigerian banks and Nigerian small businesses is being quietly redefined. Awards in this space have historically rewarded scale and product breadth. The ASBON criteria, by contrast, ask a more practical question: which banks are actually making it easier for entrepreneurs to operate?WHY THIS AWARD, AND WHY NOW?Across Nigeria, growth is no longer the only measure of success for a small or medium-sized enterprise. For most owners, success now looks like stability. Cashflow that holds up. Payments that clear without disruption. Financing that arrives in time to seize an opportunity rather than rescue a crisis. Operations that are not slowed by administrative friction.That shift in what SMEs need has changed what they look for in a bank. The institutions earning their attention are the ones that take the daily reality of running a business in Nigeria seriously, not those with the longest catalogue of products. It is in that environment that the ASBON recognition reads as something more than ceremonial.Union Bank’s SME work over the past year has been organised around a small number of practical priorities, and many of the issues SMEs cite as their biggest pain points sit at the centre of them.FASTER ONBOARDING, MORE USABLE DIGITAL TOOLSAccount opening and customer onboarding have long been one of the slowest stages of business banking in Nigeria. For an entrepreneur trying to receive payments, pay suppliers, or qualify for a tender, days lost at this stage are days lost from the business itself.Union Bank addressed this directly with enhancements to its Union360 platform and the rollout of a Straight-Through-Processing (STP) Digital Onboarding Platform. The intent was simple: cut the time between an SME deciding to bank with Union Bank and actually being able to transact. The improvements have meaningfully shortened onboarding, raised digital activity among SME customers, and brought in a notable cohort of new business clients.Behind those improvements is a recognition that Nigerian SMEs are increasingly multi-channel by default. A small retailer may take payments by transfer, POS, mobile money, and online checkout in the course of a single afternoon. The bank that supports them has to be reliable across all of those rails, not just the ones that photograph well in product brochures.FINANCING THAT MEETS BUSINESSES WHERE THEY AREAccess to credit remains the most frequently cited barrier for Nigerian SMEs, particularly for businesses without conventional collateral or a long paper trail of audited accounts.Union Bank’s response has been less about loosening criteria and more about widening the range of evidence that counts.Consistent transaction history, active account use, and clear cashflow patterns now carry meaningful weight in how the Bank assesses a small business. For a generation of entrepreneurs whose operations are real but whose paperwork is light, that is a material change.The Bank’s SME lending over the review period reflected this orientation, with funding directed at working capital, inventory, equipment, and the kind of operational expansion that sits between mere survival and genuine scale.THE HUMAN SIDE OF THE WORKDigital infrastructure matters, but it does not replace the value of someone an entrepreneur can actually call.Union Bank’s SME engagement is supported by a network of relationship managers, direct sales agents, and branches across the country. The Bank’s “Adopt, Engage and Grow” campaign was designed to reach SMEs at this human level, not as a once-a-year touchpoint, but as a sustained relationship that meets businesses where they are, both physically and operationally.The approach reflects a basic truth about small business banking in Nigeria.Entrepreneurs operate under pressure that is rarely visible from a head office. The institutions they trust tend to be the ones whose people understand that pressure, respond when it matters, and treat the relationship as ongoing rather than transactional.UNION BANK OF NIGERIA AND ASBONUnion Bank’s recognition is also tied to its partnership with ASBON, through the SME Empowerment Challenge run jointly by the two organisations.The Challenge encouraged entrepreneurs to open or reactivate business accounts, maintain proper transaction records, and develop structured plans for growth. On its surface, it was a campaign. In substance, it was an attempt to nudge a behaviour that Nigerian SMEs themselves often identify as one of the hardest to sustain: the discipline of running the business as a business, with clean books, separated finances, and a clear view of where it is going.That discipline matters because it is the gateway to almost everything else. Loans, grants, supplier credit, partnerships, and public sector contracts all depend on a business being able to show how it actually operates. By building that habit alongside ASBON, Union Bank invested in something that outlasts any single campaign cycle.WHAT THE AWARD ACTUALLY SIGNALSThere is a tendency to read awards as endpoints. This one reads better as a signpost. Nigerian SMEs are operating in one of the most demanding business environments on the continent. They are also, collectively, the largest source of employment in the country and the most direct route to broad-based prosperity. The banks that serve them well, with patient infrastructure, accessible financing, real human engagement, and a partnership posture toward the wider SME ecosystem, have a role to play that goes well beyond commercial performance.Union Bank’s recognition at the ASBON SME Awards 2025 is, in that sense, an acknowledgement of a posture as much as a portfolio. The work it points to, faster systems, more accessible credit, sustained engagement, and a habit of building alongside SME institutions rather than around them, is the kind of work that compounds quietly over years.For a bank, that is the most useful kind of award to win. Not the one that celebrates a moment, but the one that confirms a direction.

Photo caption:Chris Ofikulu, Executive Director, Retail & Commercial Banking, Polaris Bank, presents office equipment for takeoff and smooth operation of NACCIMA Export Support Centre in Lagos recently.

Polaris Bank, Nigeria’s leading digital retail and commercial bank, has proudly facilitated the launch of the NACCIMA Export Support Call Center, a vital initiative designed to provide comprehensive support to Nigerian exporters, especially those operating in the non-oil sector and enhance their ability to access global markets. This partnership marks a significant step in the Bank’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s export ecosystem.

Chris Ofikulu, Executive Director of Polaris Bank, in his address, emphasised the Bank’s commitment to empowering Nigerian businesses for global markets. He highlighted the importance of the NACCIMA Call Center as a key resource for exporters, offering valuable information, knowledge, expert guidance, and advisory services to navigate the complexities of international trade.

“Today, we are marking a pivotal moment in our mission to empower Nigerian businesses for global markets,” said Chris Ofikulu. “Through this collaboration, we are equipping exporters with the tools, infrastructure, and expertise needed to thrive in global markets.”

The NACCIMA Call Center, supported by Polaris Bank, will act as a key platform where exporters can access real-time information, technical assistance, and regulatory advisory services. This strategic initiative is in alignment with Polaris Bank’s vision to drive trade facilitation, improve market access, and support Nigeria’s economic growth.

Polaris Bank’s contribution includes providing advanced infrastructure such as laptops, a fully equipped workstation, internet-enabled modems, and high-capacity printers to support the operations of the center. This donation is aimed at ensuring the center runs smoothly and effectively meets the needs of Nigerian exporters.

During his speech, Ofikulu highlighted the importance of initiatives like the NACCIMA Call Center, emphasizing its role in bridging gaps for exporters, especially those in the non-oil export sector. “By offering exporters the right support, we are unlocking their potential to compete globally. This center is not just a call center; it is a catalyst for success, providing exporters with the resources, knowledge, and access they need to excel,” he added.

The partnership between Polaris Bank and NACCIMA also ties into the Bank’s broader mission to support Nigeria’s export sector. Polaris Bank provides a comprehensive range of solutions for exporters, including stock refinancing, working capital support, and advisory services on regulatory processes such as NXP documentation. Through its digital platform, VULTe, the Bank facilitates seamless intra-African trade, enabling faster and more efficient payments via the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS).

“We are excited to be part of this transformative initiative, which empowers Nigerian businesses to scale and compete on the global stage,” Ofikulu concluded. “Our focus on innovation and our dedication to supporting SMEs are central to our role in shaping the future of Nigeria’s export sector.”

Polaris Bank’s collaboration with NACCIMA reinforces its ongoing commitment to advancing Nigeria’s economic landscape by enhancing export readiness, improving access to finance, and supporting the growth of SMEs. The unveiling of the NACCIMA Call Center is a prime example of the Bank’s continuous dedication to driving positive change within Nigeria’s export ecosystem.