SPHIWE DORIAS — Gazette Media NBM Development Bank says it will continue to drive development financing and expand its support to the country's private sector. The bank’s general manager Bernard Masi said this on Wednesday in reaction to the Top Industrialization Catalyst Award bagged at the 2025 Impact Integration and Investment Forum in Lilongwe on Saturday. He said the award is a strong encouragement to continue pushing boundaries. Said Masi “We are deeply rooted in development funding. This award belongs to our customers and our dedicated team. Their trust and hard work are what make recognitions like this possible”. He said the development bank is committed to finding more innovative ways to support businesses to ensure that they thrive. Stratedge Limited managing partner Kissunge Kabwere, whose firm got the award, said NBM Development Bank excelled in financing programmes that are accelerating industrialization and boosting agricultural productivity and commercialization. He said: “The bank has financed 78 small and medium enterprises across various sectors including energy, education, health, agriculture, information communications technology and structured mining, strengthening supply chains and enabling value addition” NBM Development Bank, a development finance institution, is wholly owned by Malawi stock Exchange- listed National Bank of Malawi plc. The bank provides long- term debt and equity capital to small and medium enterprises in targeted sectors.