A coalition of stakeholders, has launched an ambitious $8 billion Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Roadmap, aims to close Nigeria’s gender financing gap and empower women, youth, and people with disabilities (PwDs) over the next decade.
The GESI Roadmap, developed in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Nigeria, seeks to mobilise $8 billion in capital by 2035, including $1.5 billion from domestic sources, to finance gender-inclusive businesses, create enabling policy frameworks, and promote greater female representation in political, financial, and corporate leadership.
Key stakeholders, who convened at the 3rd Gender Impact Investment Summit, in Lagos, on Thursday, stated that bridging Nigeria’s gender financing gap requires deliberate policies, inclusive investment models, and bold commitments such as the newly launched $8 billion GESI Roadmap to unlock the full economic potential of women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
Muhammad Sanusi II, the Khalifa of the Tijjaniya group in Nigeria, reiterated his long-standing advocacy for structural reforms to dismantle entrenched barriers against women in finance and governance.
“Gender equality is not about sentiment or tokenism; it is about market discipline and national progress. If Nigeria is serious about inclusive growth, we must enforce gender quotas across politics, financial services, and enterprise leadership. The privileges of a male-dominated world must give way to equity, merit, and fairness,” Sanusi declared.
Sanusi reminded stakeholders of his legacy at the CBN, where during his five-year tenure he appointed nine female directors, including the bank’s first female Deputy Governor. That precedent, he said, proved that “when you empower women at the top, institutions become more efficient, accountable, and future-ready.”
For Sanusi II, the task ahead is clear, stating that, “We have talked long enough about gender inclusion. The time for imagined barriers is over. With this roadmap, we must move from rhetoric to results.”
The newly launched GESI Roadmap 2025–2035, coordinated by IIF with PwC as technical partners, is the most comprehensive gender-inclusive financing agenda yet unveiled in Nigeria.
The framework outlines five priority areas, which include mobilisation of $8 billion in capital over 10 years to support inclusive enterprises; creation of 40 innovative financial products designed to address gender gaps in lending, savings, insurance, and digital payments; development of 20 policy instruments in collaboration with regulators and ministries to enforce GESI practices; adoption of GESI by 90 percent of impact-oriented investors by 2035 and unlocking $1.5 billion in domestic funding pools to complement global inflows and reduce reliance on foreign capital.
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This roadmap was developed with vital support of several distinguished institutions and organisations, including PwC Nigeria, GIZ, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, the Ministry of Youth Development, and the Research and Innovation Systems for Africa (RISA) Fund funded by UK International Development.
Frank Aigbogun, chair of the Impact Investors Foundation (IIF), said the targets for the GESI roadmap underscore the urgency of this challenge and the scale of the organisation’s ambition. “We aim to mobilize $8 billion in cumulative gender-inclusive capital, with $1.5 billion coming directly from domestic capital pools, and achieve a 90 percent integration of GESI principles among general partners. This framework is our commitment to ensure that capital is not exclusive, but truly inclusive,” he added.
To drive this momentum and ensure these targets are met, Aigbogun said IIF is simultaneously launching ‘The Nigeria Inclusive Capital Commitment 2035 campaign’, adding that, “This Commitment is a direct call to action for every stakeholder in this room—from government and capital providers to financial intermediaries. By signing this Commitment, we pledge to mobilize inclusive capital at scale, embed GESI principles into every investment decision, and ultimately deliver measurable outcomes that empower women, youth, and People with Disabilities (PwDs).
“We are here because financial exclusion for women, youth, and PwDs is a constraint on national growth. This GESI Roadmap is therefore not a social add-on; it is an economic imperative. By intentionally dismantling financial barriers, we unlock immense, untapped potential, ensuring that economic growth in Nigeria is not only rapid but also truly equitable and transformative. This is how we ensure Nigeria’s future is built on equity for every citizen. PwC Nigeria, which served as technical partner for the roadmap, stressed that the success of the initiative depends on reliable metrics and accountability.”
“This GESI Roadmap is not just a plan; it’s a blueprint for a significant shift in Nigeria’s economy. The scale of the targets underscores our profound commitment to a future where no one is left behind. This incredibly exciting moment sets a powerful, decade-long course to democratize capital and transform our investment landscape for women, youth, and People with Disabilities (PwDs),” stated Etemore Glover, CEO of the IIF.
Marilyn Obaisa-Osula, partner and head, ESG, sustainability and climate change services, PwC, explained that the roadmap was informed by years of research on gender gaps in Nigeria’s investment ecosystem. “Our data shows that less than 10 percent of venture capital in Nigeria currently flows into women-led businesses. This is not because women are less entrepreneurial, but because structural biases in credit, equity allocation, and policy still persist,” Obaisa-Osula noted.
“With this roadmap, we are creating measurable targets and compliance structures that will ensure both private investors and public institutions actively dismantle these barriers,” she added.
Ibukun Awosika, chair, GSG Nigeria Partner and vice chair, GSG Impact, emphasised the campaign’s significance, stating, “The GESI roadmap moves us beyond aspiration to accountability, demanding that stakeholders not only mobilize inclusive capital at scale but also embed GESI principles into every investment decision and policy, thereby enabling the gaps to be closed, unlocking Nigeria’s full economic potential, and ensuring our growth is truly equitable and transformative.”
Jessica Espinoza, CEO of 2X Global, a global industry body for gender lens investing, delivered a powerful keynote address, stressing the need for intentional action: “Progress is strategic, not accidental, which is why the GESI roadmap is a critical blueprint for Nigeria’s future. It’s a vital framework for intentionally dismantling financial barriers, empowering women, youth, and people with disabilities, and unlocking the nation’s full economic potential.”
The summit featured goodwill remarks from renowned speakers, panel discussions, fireside chats, and presentations from notable figures in the financial, business, and policy sectors.
In a direct move to facilitate real-world investments, the summit also featured a dedicated, in-person deal room. This unique platform provided a direct pipeline for investment-ready, women-led, and women-owned businesses to connect with capital providers, including impact investors, fund managers, and development finance institutions.
This roadmap was developed with vital support of several distinguished institutions and organisations, including PwC Nigeria, GIZ, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, the Ministry of Youth Development, and the Research and Innovation Systems for Africa (RISA) Fund funded by UK International Development.
This third Gender Impact Investment Summit, with the launch of the GESI Roadmap and the Nigeria Inclusive Capital Commitment 2035 Campaign, reaffirms the Impact Investors Foundation’s dedication to establishing actionable interventions that build a gender-inclusive economy, driving prosperity and social impact for profit in Nigeria.
