Accion Microfinance uses customer forums to drive Nigeria growth
Accion Microfinance Bank is gathering direct customer feedback in Nigeria's South-South region to refine its lending and digital strategies as part of its 20th-anniversary expansion efforts.
Accion Microfinance Bank convened a regional customer forum in Port Harcourt to extract direct intelligence on its lending and digital banking services.
The event brought together the lender's board, senior management and local clients to address loan accessibility and digital adoption. For microfinance institutions in Nigeria, acquiring granular data on borrower needs is essential for managing credit risk and tailoring products to the informal economy.
Ayodeji Mebude, group head of operations, said the bank relies heavily on this feedback to adjust its offerings. “Our customers’ feedback is one of our most valuable resources. It helps us improve our products, refine our services and deliver better banking experiences,” he said.
The involvement of the board signals that Accion is treating product-market fit as a top-level governance issue. Chairman Christian Ruehmer stated that direct engagement provides insights that sharpen strategy and support long-term value creation. Non-executive director Gift Mahubo added that ensuring financial inclusion responds to actual market realities is critical to the lender's impact.
The focus on the South-South region is a deliberate strategic choice. The area possesses significant entrepreneurial potential, presenting a key market for micro-lenders capable of navigating its specific commercial dynamics. Amaechi Madu, regional bank head for the South-South and South-East, noted that understanding these local realities allows the bank to deploy solutions that effectively drive business growth.
During the session, management addressed specific customer concerns regarding service delivery. The bank also recognized long-standing clients, a retention tactic where customer loyalty directly correlates with repayment reliability.
The Port Harcourt forum is the first in a series of regional engagements planned for Accion’s 20th-anniversary year. By systematically rolling out these forums across Nigeria, the lender aims to scale its financial inclusion drive while ensuring its product pipeline remains aligned with local demands.
