By Mu’azu Abubakar Albarkawa, Kaduna
Hon (Dr) Usman Buhari Ali Gwandu emerged the National President of the
Association of Non-Bank Microfinance Institution of Nigeria (ANMFIN), a Network of independent Microfinance Institutions in Nigeria.
In a statement issued by the Executive Secretary of the Association Mr. Emmanuel Oita, the new Board of Trustees members includes, Chief Oscar Angus Okorie (South East), Chairman,
Mrs Aisha Mbaka (North Central), Secretary.
Other members are Princess (Mrs) Victoria Adetona (South West), Mr, Ezekiel Osionwan (South South),
Mr Abdulsalam Sifyanu (North East), and Hon. Lawal Mai Shanu is the BoT member representing North West.
The election is conducted during a meeting which was conducted in Abuja on Wednesday 24th November 2021 with over sixty (60) physical members/stakeholders participating and twenty five (25) on line members in attendance from all over the federation with the pioneer Executive Secretary of the Association, Mr Godbless Safugha in attendance.
He said the Association of Non-Bank Microfinance Institution of Nigeria (ANMFIN) is a Network of independent Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in Nigeria, an Initiative led by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in collaboration with the IFAD-funded Rural Finance Institutions Programme of Nigeria (RUFIN), and other Development Partners to create and strengthen a sustainable microfinance network for the purpose of promoting rural finance, financial inclusion and poverty reduction/eradication in Nigeria.
According to their statement the association was created in October 2010, ANMFIN with the support of CBN, RUFIN and other Development Partners has developed a resourceful network of over 10,000 registered MFIs with about 2,900 active member MFIs and over 15 million head count (individual) members and still counting to enable the disbursements of micro loans and grants to core rural micro business enterprises and farmers comprising of Women and Youths.
“In a market economy, the financial system is the central nerve system which distributes resources to end users”.
“ANMFIN’s role as a rural finance midwife of the Nigerian financial system has formally been recognized by major stakeholders in sustaining the non-Bank rural finance system”.
He said, ANMFIN has a National, and State Offices spread across the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT-Abuja.
“The members are made up of Financial Cooperatives, NGO-MFIs, and Community Based Organizations involved in financial, agricultural and other micro economic services delivery”.
Tne statement noted that in accordance with the National Microfinance Policy and Regulatory Framework, The Association is responsible for the promotion of self-regulation, uniform standards, transparency and good corporate practice among its members.
The association is mandated to stimulate innovative and sustainable microfinance best practices, influence policy direction of government, and assist in capacity building and empowerment of microfinance operators and MSMEs in Nigeria.
While the association is focusing on five broad thematic areas comprising of Advocacy and Networking; Self-Regulation; Training and Capacity Building; Financial Linkage and Intermediation and adoption of the use of core banking micro finance software and technology in promoting savings culture, loan administration and collections and credit rating through ANMFIN Cloud.
