Jakarat, State lender PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk, or BNI, has received government recognition for its efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

At the 2025 Inspirative Entrepreneur Appreciation event held in early December, Indonesia’s Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises awarded BNI the title of Entrepreneur Hub Collaborator, acknowledging the bank’s contribution to helping MSMEs scale up and expand into global markets.

BNI Commercial Banking Director Muhammad Iqbal said the award reflects the bank’s consistent commitment to providing financing solutions, education and mentorship for MSMEs through its BNI Xpora platform.

“BNI greatly values its collaboration with the Ministry of MSMEs, which continues to encourage innovation and sustainability among entrepreneurs. This recognition gives us added motivation to continue supporting MSMEs in moving up the value chain and expanding their presence in global markets,” Iqbal said in a statement.

At the same event, PT Azaki Food Internasional, an MSME partner under BNI Xpora, received the FinImpact Entrepreneur award. The company has successfully entered international markets by exporting tempeh products to 12 countries, including Japan, South Korea, China, the United States and the Netherlands.

Iqbal explained that BNI’s Xpora initiative is designed to provide comprehensive support, ranging from export training and product curation assistance to market access through BNI’s nine overseas branch offices. The program is also supported by digital services such as wondr by BNI, BNIdirect and TapCash, which help improve operational efficiency for MSMEs.

The awards were presented at a ceremony held at JS Luwansa Hotel & Convention Center in Jakarta, attended by thousands of participants in a hybrid format. Attendees included representatives from financial institutions, the business community, entrepreneurial networks, universities and nominees of inspirational entrepreneurs from across Indonesia.

The event featured Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar as the keynote speaker. Meanwhile, MSME Minister Maman Abdurrahman underscored the importance of growth and sustainability pillars in entrepreneurship amid global economic transformation, supported by innovation, digitalization and sound corporate governance.

Building on this achievement, BNI reaffirmed its commitment to expanding support for national MSMEs through stronger export capacity, improved digital literacy and broader access to financing. “We are optimistic that MSMEs will continue to serve as a key driver of the national economy, and BNI is ready to be their main partner in scaling up and going global,” Iqbal said.

With more focused strategies and cross-institutional collaboration, BNI expects MSMEs to play a stronger role in global economic value chains while contributing significantly to Indonesia’s economic growth.