By Ayomide Otitoju
Fidelity Bank Plc has been named the winner of the 2025 Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) Innovation Award in the Deposit Money Bank (DMB) category, in recognition of its outstanding contributions to innovative financial solutions tailored for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The award was presented at the 2025 DBN Service Ambassadors’ Awards in Lagos, held under the theme “Enhancing Partnership for MSME Resilience and Growth.”
Managing Director/CEO of Fidelity Bank, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, expressed gratitude for the recognition, reaffirming the bank’s commitment to MSME development.
“At Fidelity Bank, innovation is central to our approach to supporting MSMEs. This award highlights our dedication to delivering scalable, inclusive, and technology-driven financial solutions that empower Nigerian entrepreneurs,” she said.
Managing Director of DBN, Tony Okpanachi, praised Fidelity Bank and other partner institutions for their role in transforming unbankable ideas into viable businesses, emphasizing the critical role of financial institutions in driving entrepreneurship.
“We celebrate you for your outreach to businesses striving to grow and your role in converting unbankable ideas into bankable ventures,” he stated.
The award adds to Fidelity Bank’s expanding portfolio of initiatives targeting MSMEs. In May, the bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to boost the expansion of Nigerian MSMEs across Africa.
Fidelity Bank also recently launched the Fidelity SME Hub in Gbagada, Lagos—a multi-functional facility offering training, meeting rooms, networking spaces, and creative studios, all aimed at nurturing innovation and building entrepreneurial capacity.
Ranked among Nigeria’s leading commercial banks, Fidelity Bank serves over 9.1 million customers through digital platforms, 255 branches across Nigeria, and its UK subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The bank has earned multiple accolades, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay BAFI Awards, Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application by Global Business Outlook, and Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by Euromoney Awards for Excellence.
