Nigeria’s drive towards a more inclusive economy received a major boost Thursday as the Impact Investors Foundation (IIF) unveiled its l Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Roadmap 2025–2035, with a target of mobilising $8 billion in capital over the next decade.
The roadmap was officially launched at the third Gender Impact Investment Summit (GIIS), themed “Investing in Equity: Advancing Gender-Led Solutions for Inclusive Development,” held at the Civic Centre in Lagos. The event also marked the introduction of the Nigeria Inclusive Capital Commitment 2035, a campaign designed to accelerate capital mobilisation for women, youth, and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
Developed in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Nigeria, the GESI Roadmap presents a ten-year plan to embed inclusive investment practices across Nigeria’s economy. Among its measurable goals are mobilising $8.0 billion in cumulative gender-inclusive capital, launching 40 inclusive financial products tailored for women, youth, and PwDs, achieving 90 percent integration of GESI principles among general partners, mobilising $1.5 billion from domestic capital pools, and enacting 20 new policy and regulatory instruments to support inclusion.
The Nigeria Inclusive Capital Commitment 2035 campaign is expected to galvanise stakeholders including government agencies, investors, market builders, enablers, and financial intermediaries towards these targets.
Etemore Glover, CEO of the Impact Investors Foundation, described the initiative as a blueprint for a significant shift in Nigeria’s economy, stressing that it sets a powerful decade-long course to democratise capital and ensure no one is left behind.
By signing onto the Inclusive Capital Commitment 2035, stakeholders pledge to take decisive actions: mobilising inclusive capital at scale, embedding GESI principles into investment decisions and policies, strengthening institutional capacity, and delivering measurable outcomes that empower underrepresented groups.
Ibukun Awosika, Chair of GSG Nigeria Partner and Vice Chair of GSG Impact, said the roadmap goes beyond aspiration, “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.”
Delivering the keynote address, Jessica Espinoza, CEO of 2X Global, a global gender-lens investing body, noted that progress must be intentional: “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.”
Adding his voice, Muhammad Sanusi II, Khalifa of the Tijjaniya group in Nigeria and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, shared deeply personal reflections on gender equity from his banking and regulatory experience. He recalled how, during his tenure as CBN Governor, only four women had risen to the level of director in over 50 years. By reforming promotion policies and directly encouraging female deputy directors, Sanusi oversaw the appointment of nine female directors in one year, placing them in critical departments such as risk management, banking supervision, and internal audit.
He argued that many of the barriers to women’s advancement in finance and enterprise are imagined or deliberately maintained, and urged stakeholders not to overthink gender equity. “Sometimes we complicate the issue. The obstacles are often entrenched privileges that some are unwilling to let go of,” he said, citing examples of policy changes in maternity leave, disability access in banks, and quotas for female representation in senior management.
Sanusi also called for deliberate political reforms, suggesting constitutional and electoral adjustments to guarantee women’s representation in parliament and cabinet. “Why is diversity in Nigeria only about geography? Why can’t we say 30 percent of cabinet must be women? Why not designate certain senatorial districts for women only?” he asked.
The third edition of the summit featured goodwill messages, panel sessions, fireside chats, and keynote presentations from leaders in business, finance, and policy. A major highlight was the in-person deal room, which provided women-led and women-owned businesses with a direct platform to engage investment-ready capital providers, including impact investors, fund managers, and development finance institutions.
The roadmap received support from several key partners, 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.
With the launch of the GESI Roadmap and the Nigeria Inclusive Capital Commitment 2035 campaign, IIF signaled a shift from policy advocacy to concrete action, reaffirming its commitment to building a gender-inclusive economy that drives both prosperity and social impact in Nigeria showcasing innovative models and sparking dialogue, the summit advances progress towards an inclusive investment ecosystem.
The first two summits focused on policy advocacy and promoting gender-inclusive models. This third edition marks a turning point from advocacy to action with the official launch of the GESI Roadmap, a strategic framework to dismantle systemic barriers faced by women, youth, and PwDs.
Leave a comment