The Impact Investors Foundation (IIF) has launched the 'Inclusive Capital Scorecard: GESI Baseline Survey,' a report designed to track gender equality and social inclusion practices in Nigeria's impact investment sector. Unveiled at the 4th Gender Impact Investment Summit (GIIS) in Lagos, the report aims to shift focus from general pledges to measurable outcomes for women, youths and persons with disabilities. This year's summit, themed 'From Commitment to Action: Strengthening Inclusive Gender Lens Investment for Nigeria's Growth,' prioritised accountability frameworks to assess financing gaps and inclusion results across industries.
The GESI baseline survey is intended as a reference for measuring progress on Nigeria's inclusive capital roadmap, supporting policy execution and cross-sector collaboration. It provides data on how capital is sourced and distributed, with policy roundtables held alongside the launch, involving regulators, ministries and government agencies. Discussions focused on speeding up inclusion-supporting policies in key sectors, including climate-resilient industries.
IIF Chief Executive Officer Etemore Glover described the report as a data-driven tool to tackle structural obstacles in Nigeria's financial system. "The GESI Baseline Report is the data-driven foundation required to fix structural barriers in our financial system," she said. "While women own nearly 40 per cent of Nigerian businesses, they receive a disproportionately small share of formal credit."
Ibukun Awosika, Chair of GSG Nigeria Partner and Vice Chair of GSG Impact, stated the report requires investors and policymakers to embed gender inclusion into core financial decisions. "This summit is the definitive platform to close investment gaps, unlocking Nigeria's full economic potential and ensuring our growth is truly equitable and transformative," she said.
The summit introduced physical and virtual Deal Rooms to link investors with women-led businesses seeking funding, generating soft investor commitments worth $250,000. Technical sessions also covered institutional capacity building, including GESI diagnostic tools and investment readiness frameworks. His Highness Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II CON, Sarkin Kano, delivered a keynote titled 'Turning Gender Equity into Economic Advantage,' urging action against structural barriers to women's financial inclusion.
Etemore Glover highlights that women own 40 per cent of Nigerian businesses yet get a disproportionately small share of credit, exposing a gap between ownership and financial access. The IIF's new scorecard measures this disparity, but without binding enforcement, it risks becoming another report that documents inequity without changing it. Stakeholders now have data to act, but the real test is whether investors and banks adjust lending patterns. For Nigeria's women entrepreneurs, progress will be measured not in reports, but in approved loans and capital received.
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