The Managing Director of Remita Payment Services Limited, Mr. ‘DeRemi Atanda, has called for a coordinated national strategy to drive digital integration and unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Speaking at the 2025 ICTEL EXPO in Lagos, Mr. Atanda emphasised that without a unified approach to technology, regulation, and infrastructure, the country risks stalling the progress made in financial inclusion and innovation.

Delivering his remarks during a high-level panel on leveraging financial technology for Africa’s development, Atanda argued that Nigeria’s fragmented digital ecosystem has become a limiting factor for SME growth. “The real conversation isn’t about how many platforms we have. It’s about whether Nigeria has a national strategy for SMEs in the digital age,” he said. “Once that is defined, the role of regulators, fintechs, logistics players, and government becomes clearer and more impactful.”

Atanda praised the role fintech has played in transforming the business landscape for SMEs, especially by eliminating traditional market boundaries. “A business in Aba can now serve a customer in Accra, because payment rails make it possible. That’s real change,” he noted.

The 11th edition of the ICTEL EXPO, organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), brought together stakeholders from technology, finance, and policy sectors under the theme: “Leveraging Technology for Innovation and Development in Africa.” With SMEs contributing more than 48 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP and employing over 80 per cent of the workforce, discussions at the forum centred on digital infrastructure, innovation policy, and regulatory alignment as tools for growth.

Mr. Atanda cautioned, however, that digital progress cannot be sustained without clear coordination across sectors. “We’re seeing duplication where we need direction,” he said. “Innovation must be guided by a shared vision that links digital solutions to national economic goals.”

He acknowledged recent regulatory steps by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), including the creation of a Payment Supervision Department, as a move in the right direction. Still, he urged broader and deeper collaboration among financial regulators, technology providers, and trade agencies to develop policies that are both comprehensive and practical.

Highlighting the need for logistics integration, Atanda warned against a narrow view of digital transformation. “Technology can connect buyers and sellers instantly, but if a product takes a week to arrive or never does, we haven’t solved anything,” he said. “A tech-driven logistics backbone is as vital as payment platforms.”

On access to finance, he proposed leveraging data integration to reshape how SMEs are evaluated for credit. “Today, many SMEs serve the same customers in isolation. Imagine if we could consolidate these transactions into one data layer—we’d reveal true business activity and unlock credit access at scale,” he said.

He also identified open banking as a transformative solution for SME financing, allowing lenders to better understand customer behaviours and transaction volumes. “Shared access to payment data enables both banks and fintechs to lend more confidently and competitively,” he added.

Concluding his remarks, Mr. Atanda urged all stakeholders—public and private—to move from discussion to implementation. “If by the next conference we cannot point to at least one major milestone from these discussions, then we would have failed the SMEs that we claim to serve. The future demands more than talking; it requires alignment, execution, and sustained accountability.”

Remita, a flagship product of Remita Payment Services Limited, also featured prominently at the expo as an exhibitor, showcasing its end-to-end financial ecosystem tailored to support businesses of all sizes. Through its exhibition, the company underscored its commitment to empowering business growth “one payment at a time,” reinforcing its reputation as a strategic enabler of Nigeria’s digital economy.