Alert Group has been named Fastest-Growing Financial Services Group of the Year at the 2026 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, recognising its enterprise enlargement, monetary efficiency and contributions to enhancing entry to monetary providers in Nigeria.
The award was offered at the 14th version of the BAFI Awards, held just lately at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. The annual awards, organised by BusinessDay Media Limited, have a good time monetary establishments demonstrating excellence, innovation and management throughout Nigeria’s monetary providers trade.
The recognition follows a interval of vital progress for Alert Group, pushed by the enlargement of its lending operations, elevated deposit mobilisation and a method targeted on offering monetary and inexperienced power options to people and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Commenting on the recognition, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Alert Group, Dr Kazeem Olanrewaju, expressed appreciation to BusinessDay Media Limited, describing the award as an encouragement to deepen the Group’s dedication to monetary inclusion and sustainable progress.
“We are honoured to obtain this recognition from BusinessDay. This award displays the dedication of our individuals, the confidence of our clients and the deliberate efforts we’ve made to construct a monetary providers group that responds to the wants of people and companies.
“Our focus has always been on expanding access to finance, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses that play an important role in Nigeria’s economy. As we continue to grow, we remain committed to strengthening our operations, developing relevant financial solutions and creating opportunities for more Nigerians to access the funding and services they need,” he stated.
Alert Group operates by way of 4 subsidiaries: Alert Microfinance Bank Limited, Auto Bucks Lenders Limited, Bucksfield Asset Management and Greenbucks Limited. Together, the companies present providers spanning microfinance banking, SME lending, funding and asset administration, and clear power financing.
The Group’s enlargement has additionally been supported by Alert Microfinance Bank’s acquisition of a nationwide microfinance banking licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria in 2026, offering a platform to increase its providers to extra communities throughout the nation.
According to the Group Chief Operating Officer of Alert Group, Hachem Bdeir, “this recognition is particularly meaningful because our growth is built on the trust and confidence of the customers and businesses we serve. For us, being the fastest-growing financial services group goes beyond expanding our operations. It is about building a brand that people can trust, making financial services more accessible and consistently delivering on our promises to customers.”
Also talking on the recognition, the Chief Executive Officer of Alert Microfinance Bank, Saheed Raji, stated the recognition displays the Group’s dedication to increasing monetary entry whereas constructing a sustainable monetary establishment.
“Receiving this award is a mirrored image of the progress we’ve made in bringing monetary providers nearer to people and companies that want them. At Alert Microfinance Bank, we perceive the necessary position entry to finance performs in serving to entrepreneurs maintain their operations, pursue alternatives and develop their companies.
Alert Group at present operates in additional than 20 states of the federation, with over 45 branches throughout Nigeria, supporting MSMEs and people with accessible monetary options. This bodily attain, which brings the Group’s providers nearer to the communities and companies it serves, now sits alongside a rising suite of digital channels, together with the Alert Mobile app, the Goldbucks financial savings app, Alert Business Banking, POS and the Alert Debit Card.
The BAFI recognition underscores Alert Group’s progress in Nigeria’s monetary providers trade and its dedication to increasing monetary entry, supporting enterprise improvement and contributing to the nation’s broader financial progress.
