Professional Assessment of Financial Technology Adoption by Small and Medium Enterprises in Kano State

Financial technology adoption by small and medium enterprises in North West Nigeria is a growing area of policy interest, as digital tools have the potential to improve financial management, credit access, and market connectivity for this underserved segment. This study conducts a professional assessment of financial technology adoption by small and medium enterprises in Kano State, examining adoption rates, barriers, and business performance outcomes. A survey of 280 small and medium enterprise owners across Kano Municipal, Nassarawa, and Ungogo Local Government Areas was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Fintech adoption was measured by usage of mobile payment platforms, digital bookkeeping applications, and online lending services. Business performance outcomes included sales growth, working capital management efficiency, and credit access improvement. Binary logistic regression and descriptive statistics were employed. Results showed that 63% of sampled enterprises used mobile payment platforms, while only 21% used digital bookkeeping applications and 14% had accessed an online lending facility. Business registration status was the strongest predictor of fintech adoption (OR = 3.47, p < 0.01). Enterprises that adopted digital bookkeeping reported 28% higher accuracy in financial record keeping, improving their credit application success rates. The study concludes that fintech adoption among small and medium enterprises in Kano State is uneven, skewed toward payment platforms, and recommends subsidised digital business management tool deployment programmes for informal small and medium enterprises in the North West zone. Keywords: fintech adoption, small and medium enterprises, Kano State, digital tools, North West Nigeria