EXECUTIVE Director, Commercial and Institutional Banking (South and Central) at The Alternative Bank, Garba Mohammed, has underscored the need for practical interventions that enable Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to operate efficiently and chart clear paths towards long-term sustainability.

He noted that beyond access to finance, MSMEs require structured support systems that address operational challenges and enhance their capacity to compete in a dynamic market environment.

Mohammed stated this at the 47th Kaduna  International Trade Fair, where the bank deployed more than 300 free Point-of-Sale (POS) devices to MSMEs operating across trade, retail, and service clusters.

The ED said the initiative was to help merchants transition more quickly to traceable digital payments.

Addressing business leaders, entrepreneurs, traders, members of the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA), and government officials, Mohammed, represented by AltBank’s Head of Corporate Social Investment, Solomon Okonkwo.

He submitted that while policy reforms provide direction, real economic progress occurs when businesses gain access to structured financial systems and modern payment infrastructure.

“Reforms set direction. But reforms alone are not results,” he said, adding: “Results happen when MSMEs are formalised, transactions are traceable, and businesses can access finance without friction.”

He pointed out that MSMEs account for more than 96 per cent of businesses in Nigeria and employ over 80 per cent of the workforce, yet access to finance and digital infrastructure remains a major constraint, particularly in Northern Nigeria.

Mohammed said the POS devices were provided at no cost to more than 300 MSMEs across key trade and service clusters, dismantling an immediate barrier to digital payment adoption.

Beneficiaries were onboarded instantly and integrated into digital transaction systems to improve efficiency, reduce cash-handling risks, generate verifiable payment records, and strengthen their eligibility for future financing.

The bank also commended KADCCIMA and the Kaduna State government for sustaining a platform that promotes enterprise development and regional commerce, reaffirming its commitment to long-term partnership in support of MSMEs.