Credit Direct Strengthens Financial Inclusion With Large-scale Medical Outreach For Lagos Market Traders

At Credit Direct, our work is built on one belief: real financial inclusion begins with meeting people where they are. In October and November, we extended this commitment through a large-scale medical outreach across major markets in Lagos, delivered in partnership with EmPLE Insurance.

The initiative brought free healthcare services to traders while opening pathways to financial tools that support long-term stability for people who power Nigeria’s informal economy.

Our team visited 18 markets and engaged more than 2,200 traders across markets including Jankara Market, Ikotun Market, Igando Market, Kosofe Market, Mile 12 Market, Odo Eran Market, Irepodun Oja Oba Odejobi Market, Mandela Market, Ojota Market, Temidire Market, Ibafo Market, Kudaki Market, Tinubu Ultra-Modern Market, Unity Market, Ayewadun Market (Kola), Ifelodun Market (Alakuko), Olorunda Market, and Ojo Oba Moruf Market.

Many of these traders had not accessed medical checks in years due to financial constraints, long queues at hospitals, or the pressure to prioritise their daily earnings.

Together with medical personnel from EmPLE Insurance, we provided blood pressure checks, blood sugar tests, general consultations, and one-on-one medical reviews. We also distributed essential medication such as vitamins, pain relievers, anti-malarial drugs, and blood supplements. The experience reaffirmed how closely health and livelihood are linked for market traders who depend on daily income to sustain their households.

The outreach data shed light on the human reality behind market operations. Women accounted for 87% of participants, reinforcing their position as the foundation of Nigeria’s informal economy. The highest turnout came from Alimosho, one of Lagos’s most densely populated communities. Most beneficiaries were between the ages of 38 and 54, a demographic that carries the dual responsibility of work and family care while striving for financial stability.

This outreach builds on our financial inclusion work earlier in the year when we launched the pilot initiative for market traders. Through that pilot, we introduced pension pathways, insurance protection, investment opportunities, and credit access of up to ₦500,000. These efforts were designed to replace uncertainty with structure, and to give traders a chance at long-term security many previously believed was out of reach.

Our financial inclusion product operates through a simple but powerful model. Our field agents meet traders directly in their markets, engage their association leaders, and introduce the financial inclusion product built for micro entrepreneurs. Many traders traditionally rely on Ajo, a savings method that offers no protection if the collector disappears. We created an interest-earning high-savings account that removes this risk entirely and builds safer habits for the future.

Our loan structure supports traders with a 5% monthly interest rate spread over three months. This amount already includes pension contributions, insurance coverage, and administrative costs. 1% funds insurance, another 1% goes into each customer’s pension account, and the remaining 3% covers operational expenses.

Every trader who receives a loan automatically has a pension account opened with FCMB, and we contribute to the account with every repayment. Weekly repayment options also match the natural cash flow cycle of small retailers, enabling inclusion without disruption.

Through our embedded insurance partnership with EmPLE Insurance, every loan comes with protection covering debt repayment, fire incidents, hospital cash back, and medical expenses. We pay for these packages monthly, so customers benefit without additional charges or extra paperwork.

By combining medical care with financial education, we reinforced a key principle that guides our work: communities thrive when health, financial access, and economic opportunity move together. Traders received guidance on healthy hygiene practices and financial planning for business stability.

As we look ahead, we are developing digital commerce linkages that will connect traders to our wider customer network, helping them expand their visibility, increase sales, and grow at a pace that supports easier repayment. The markets have been kind to us, and we remain committed to giving back through long-term initiatives rooted in real impact rather than profit.

We will continue to invest in advancing financial inclusion, strengthening livelihoods, and ensuring that underserved Nigerians have access to the opportunities they deserve.