Nigerian Fintech Moniepoint Disburses $700m Loans to MSMEs as Women Emerge Biggest Beneficiaries
- Moniepoint disbursed more than $700 million in loans to Nigerian MSMEs, with 75% of beneficiaries receiving business credit for the first time
- The company said local businesses that received the loans recorded a 36% increase in transaction value
- Moniepoint processes over $250 billion in annual digital payments, and aims to help bridge Nigeria's $32.2 billion MSME financing gap
Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering energy, MSMEs, technology, banking and the economy.
Moniepoint Inc. has revealed that it disbursed more than $700 million in loans to Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in 2025, with a significant number of beneficiaries accessing formal business credit for the first time.
According to the fintech company's newly released 2025 Impact Report, about 75% of merchants who received financing through its platform had never previously obtained business loans, highlighting the firm's growing contribution to financial inclusion in Nigeria.
Source: UGC
First-time borrowers record stronger business growth
The report showed that businesses that received Moniepoint loans recorded an average 36% increase in transaction value, demonstrating the positive impact of improved access to financing on business performance.
Moniepoint also disclosed that its Point-of-Sale (PoS) network enabled over 100 million people to make payments nationwide during the period under review.
The company said its ecosystem now supports more than 20 million businesses and individuals, while its subsidiaries process over $250 billion in digital payment transactions every year.
In a move aimed at promoting inclusive growth, the fintech added that loan disbursements to women-owned businesses increased by more than 300%, reflecting a stronger commitment to empowering female entrepreneurs.
Bridging Nigeria's MSME financing gap
Moniepoint said expanding access to credit remains central to its mission because MSMEs are critical to Nigeria's economy, contributing around 86% of employment and roughly half of the country's nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Despite their economic importance, the report noted that Nigerian MSMEs face an estimated $32.2 billion financing gap, with micro-enterprises in sectors such as agriculture and retail experiencing the highest demand for affordable credit.
Source: UGC
To address this challenge, Moniepoint said it has developed a lending model designed specifically for the realities of small businesses in Nigeria. Rather than relying solely on traditional lending requirements, its credit assessment system evaluates merchants using business performance data, making it easier for underserved entrepreneurs to access financing.
The company said this approach is intended to remove long-standing barriers that have prevented many small businesses from participating in the formal credit market, helping them grow, create jobs and contribute more meaningfully to Nigeria's economy.
Source: Legit.ng
