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[QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 78737, member: 636"]
Banking experts are pushing for a total digital shift in how small businesses get funding. This call came at a financial inclusion seminar hosted by Accion Microfinance Bank. They argue lenders must move beyond just giving loans to actively building business ecosystems.

The head of Accion MfB, Taiwo Joda, said current credit models fail small firms that lack physical assets. He proposed using alternative data like sales records, POS transactions, and even online reviews to judge creditworthiness. The bank plans a self-service digital platform where businesses can access finance and connect with suppliers.

The bank's Chief Digital Officer, Paul Ehiagbonare, said the goal is to embed financial services directly into existing marketplaces and supply chains. This means using data from telecom partners like MTN on customer behavior and transaction footprints. Models like invoice discounting could help businesses manage long payment cycles from big corporate clients. The seminar framed this shift from simple lender to value-chain enabler as the next necessary step for Nigeria's economy.
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