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Temitope Runsewe is the managing director of Sage Grey Finance. In this interview with Juliet Onyema, he spoke on the company’s impact-driven approach to finance, its innovative lending strategies, and how it’s transforming the financial landscape in Nigeria through financial inclusion and sustainable practises.
Can you tell us about Sage Grey Finance?
Sage Grey Finance was established in 2020 as a forward-thinking financial institution focused on bridging funding gaps and enabling business growth through lending, investment, fund management and strategic advisory services.
We are licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria and integrated into the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System. We are also deeply committed to driving financial inclusion and sustainable economic development through impact financing.
Our model is built around flexibility, speed and a deep understanding of the local and international markets. We serve a diverse range of clients from micro-enterprises and SMEs to larger corporates, providing them with access to tailored financial products and strategic guidance.
Since inception, our corporate intent has been to redefine access to finance by combining regulatory integrity, innovation, and impact-driven partnerships, and we’re proud of the results we’ve achieved so far.
How does your organisation balance regulatory compliance with the need for innovation in financial services?
Sage Grey Finance operates with a dual mandate, ensuring strict regulatory adherence while fostering innovative financial solutions. Our operations align fully with CBN guidelines, with compliance measures embedded within our core banking platform. This includes real-time monitoring systems, streamlined regulatory reporting, and robust risk management frameworks. Innovation remains at the heart of our approach.
We continuously refine our financial products and digital solutions to enhance customer experience and security. By leveraging cutting-edge compliance technology, we can introduce new financial services that meet market needs without compromising transparency or regulatory integrity.
What is your organisation’s approach to impact financing, and how does it shape your business strategy?
At Sage Grey Finance, we view impact financing as the cornerstone of sustainable business growth. Our approach goes beyond traditional lending; it focuses on catalysing transformative change across key sectors of the Nigerian economy. We believe that capital, when strategically deployed, can solve pressing social and economic challenges while generating competitive returns for investors.
Our impact financing framework is built on three core pillars. First, we ensure inclusive access to capital, making sure underserved communities and businesses can access the financing they need. Second, we support sustainable business practices by backing ventures that incorporate environmental and social governance principles.
Third, we implement robust metrics to track and validate the impact of our investments. This comprehensive approach allows us to create a virtuous cycle of development while maintaining financial sustainability.
Can you share how your organisation’s services are helping to channel funds from institutional investors into key sectors? Are there any notable success stories?
Our on-lending services are designed to bridge the gap between institutional investors and high-impact sectors, ensuring efficient capital allocation for transformative projects. This approach has allowed us to maximize the reach and effectiveness of available capital while maintaining rigorous oversight of funded projects.
A notable example is FREEE Recycle Limited, a leader in waste recycling and rubber manufacturing. FREEE Recycle owns a five-acre recycling and manufacturing facility in Ibadan, creating over 150 direct jobs and empowering more than 200 indirect workers. The initiative places strong emphasis on women’s inclusion in the workforce, which aligns with our commitment to gender equity.
When we evaluate on-lending opportunities, we look beyond the numbers. We ask ourselves: How many jobs will this create? How will it impact the local community? Is the business model environmentally sustainable? This holistic assessment ensures our capital generates meaningful impact while delivering strong returns to investors who trust us to allocate their capital effectively.
SMEs form the backbone of Nigeria’s economy. How does your organisation tailor its lending, investment, and advisory services to meet the unique needs of these businesses?
Understanding that each SME has unique needs and growth trajectories, we’ve moved away from one-size-fits-all lending. Instead, we conduct detailed analyses of operational requirements, market conditions, and growth potential to structure financing solutions that truly foster sustainable development.
We adopt a client-centric approach, offering tailored financing, strategic advisory, and investment services that address the specific challenges facing Nigerian SMEs. Beyond providing capital, we are launching the Sage Grey Finance Academy, specifically designed to equip MSMEs with critical knowledge in business operations, financial management, and market expansion strategies.
This initiative reflects our belief that coupling financing with capacity building creates more resilient businesses and sustainable economic growth in the long term.
How do you measure the impact of your financial services, and why is this important to Sage Grey Finance?
What truly distinguishes our impact finance model is our commitment to rigorous measurement and transparency. For every project we finance, we establish clear metrics aligned with both financial performance and social or environmental outcomes.
You can’t manage what you don’t measure; this is a principle we live by at Sage Grey Finance. By quantifying impact, whether through creation of jons, carbon emissions reduced or lives improved, we ensure accountability to our investors and the communities we serve.
Our impact measurement framework incorporates both quantitative indicators such as employment figures and income growth, and qualitative assessments including improved quality of life and community development.
We track these metrics throughout the lifecycle of our investments, conducting regular evaluations to ensure we are achieving our intended outcomes. This comprehensive approach allows us to continuously refine our investment strategies to maximize positive impact while maintaining strong financial returns.
How does your organisation integrate Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) principles into its financing decisions?
Financial institutions have a responsibility to drive sustainable development, and at Sage Grey Finance, we’ve integrated ESG considerations into our lending criteria, investment decisions, and operational practices. By incorporating ESG standards into our financing decisions, we are encouraging businesses to adopt more responsible practices while mitigating long-term risks.
Our ESG framework guides our assessment of potential investments, helping us identify opportunities that contribute to Nigeria’s climate resilience, social inclusion, and economic diversification goals. We evaluate factors such as environmental footprint, labour practices, community relations, and governance structures before making financing decisions.
This approach has attracted ESG-conscious investors looking to achieve positive impact alongside financial returns, and it’s helping to build a more sustainable business ecosystem in Nigeria.
What partnerships is your organisation pursuing to enhance its impact finance initiatives?
Recognising that meaningful change requires collaborative effort, we’ve established strategic partnerships with government agencies, industry associations, and international development organizations. Through these alliances, we leverage complementary resources, expertise, and networks to amplify our impact. For instance, our collaboration with the Bank of Industry has significantly expanded our capacity to support small business growth in underserved regions.
These partnerships have enabled us to develop innovative financing mechanisms that address specific sector challenges. We’re currently working on a blended finance initiative that combines commercial capital with concessional funding to support agricultural value chains, enhancing food security while creating sustainable livelihoods.
We’re also partnering with international impact investors to channel foreign direct investment into sectors that drive inclusive growth, such as renewable energy and affordable housing.
Could you share insights into any corporate social responsibility initiatives your organisation is undertaking?
Our commitment to impact extends beyond our core financial services through strategic corporate social responsibility initiatives. Recent projects include our partnership with the Lagos Food Bank Initiative on the Edufood Programme, which provided nutritious meals to over 200 children in low-income private schools in Dopemu, Lagos.
This initiative aims to reduce hunger, support cognitive development, and enhance academic performance among underserved pupils—contributing to long-term educational and economic outcomes. Additionally, through the FREEE Impact Foundation, we donated 300 sustainable footwear to students in Lagos, aligning environmental responsibility with meeting basic needs.
In December 2024, we also conducted an outreach to the Makoko Community, a staff-led CSR program supporting vulnerable children at the Part of Solution School and Orphanage with food, educational materials, and household essentials.
This initiative aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals and fosters team engagement within Sage Grey Finance. Additionally, our Scholarship Programme awards financial support to high-achieving undergraduates at the University of Lagos, reflecting our dedication to education and inclusive growth. Together, these initiatives reflect our broader mission to empower communities and promote sustainable development.
Looking ahead, what are the key milestones Sage Grey Finance aims to achieve in the next five years, particularly in enhancing financial inclusion and impact finance in Nigeria?
Looking to the future, we have set ambitious goals for expanding our impact finance initiatives. Over the next five years, we aim to launch digital financial products specifically designed for underserved communities, with a target of reaching 500,000 previously unbanked individuals. We’re also establishing a dedicated impact investment fund focused on renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and affordable housing.
We plan to expand our SME growth programs to provide integrated capital, advisory services, and technical training support to over 1,000 small businesses annually. Additionally, we’re developing innovative financing structures that leverage both local and international capital to address Nigeria’s infrastructure gaps.
The potential for impact finance to transform Nigeria’s economic landscape is immense. By demonstrating that social and environmental impact can go hand-in-hand with financial returns, we’re attracting more capital into sectors that drive sustainable development.
At Sage Grey Finance, we firmly believe that financial institutions must evolve beyond their traditional role as capital providers to become active agents of positive change. Through our impact finance initiatives, we’re demonstrating that profitability and purpose can coexist, creating value for investors while addressing pressing societal challenges.
The future of finance in Nigeria, and indeed globally, lies in this balanced approach. By aligning capital with causes, we can build a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous economy for all. As we continue to innovate and expand our impact finance offerings, Sage Grey Finance remains committed to its mission of creating impact through its financial services.
