The Impact Investors Foundation has unveiled a benchmark report to track how gender equality and social inclusion shape investment practices across Nigeria's financial ecosystem. The 'Inclusive Capital Scorecard: GESI Baseline Survey' was launched at the 4th Gender Impact Investment Summit in Lagos, where over 50 organisations have previously committed to supporting inclusive capital deployment for women, youths and persons with disabilities.
The summit's theme this year, 'From Commitment to Action: Strengthening Inclusive Gender Lens Investment for Nigeria's Growth,' signals a shift from broad pledges toward measurable accountability. Organisers want to know how much capital gets raised, where it goes, and whether it actually reaches the people it is supposed to reach. The baseline survey will help policymakers and investors identify financing gaps and track inclusion outcomes across different sectors.
Etemore Glover, chief executive of the Impact Investors Foundation, said the report addresses a persistent problem in Nigeria's financial system. Women own nearly 40 percent of Nigerian businesses but receive a disproportionately small share of formal credit. "The GESI Baseline Report is the data-driven foundation required to fix structural barriers in our financial system," Glover said. "This report empowers stakeholders to identify acute gaps and benchmark progress as we move toward a truly inclusive economy."
Ibukun Awosika, chair of GSG Nigeria Partner and vice chair of GSG Impact, said the report places responsibility squarely on investors and policymakers. Rather than treating gender inclusion as an afterthought, financial institutions and government agencies must embed it into every decision they make. "By providing the data-driven foundation needed to benchmark progress, it demands that stakeholders not only mobilise inclusive capital at scale but also embed GESI and gender lens investment principles into every investment decision and policy," she said.
The summit introduced enhanced Deal Rooms where investors can meet directly with women-led enterprises seeking funding. These sessions, operating both physically and virtually, generated soft investor commitments estimated at $250,000. The summit also featured technical sessions on institutional capacity building, including the deployment of gender equality and social inclusion diagnostic tools, investment readiness frameworks and data capture systems.
Policy roundtables brought together regulators, ministries and government agencies to discuss accelerating implementation of policies supporting inclusion across key economic sectors, including climate-resilient industries. The conversations focused on moving beyond advocacy toward measurable indicators such as job creation, enterprise growth, geographic reach and inclusion outcomes linked to investment deployment.
The baseline survey is now expected to guide policy implementation and strengthen collaboration across sectors as Nigeria works toward a more equitable financial system. The IIF will continue tracking commitments made at the summit and measuring whether institutions actually follow through on their pledges.
