The Impact Investors Foundation (IIF), a platform for unlocking impact capital, has unveiled a blueprint to drive gender equity and social inclusion, aiming to mobilise a cumulative $8 billion in inclusive capital over the next decade.
The ‘Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Roadmap 2025-2035’ was officially launched at the third Gender Impact Investment Summit (GIIS) in Lagos, themed ‘Investing in Equity: Advancing Gender-Led Solutions for Inclusive Development.’
Developed in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Nigeria, the 10-year strategic plan seeks to embed inclusive investment practices deeply within the Nigerian economy. The GESI Roadmap sets clear, data-driven targets, including the launch of 40 inclusive financial products for women, youth, and People with Disabilities (PwDs); the integration of GESI principles by 90% of General Partners; and the mobilization of $1.5 billion in domestic capital pools. Furthermore, it aims for the enactment of 20 new policy and regulatory instruments to support this transformative agenda.
The launch introduced the Nigeria Inclusive Capital Commitment 2035 campaign, a call to action designed to galvanize governments, capital providers, and financial intermediaries toward achieving these ambitious goals. ‘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),’ the Chief Executive,the Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover stated. She maintained that the urgency for the initiative is underscored by recent data highlighting significant financing gaps. According to PwC’s Head of ESG, Sustainability and Climate Change, Marilyn Obaisa-Osula,a study found that ‘between 2020 and 2024, only 20 percent of venture capital funding was received by female-led startups in Nigeria.’ She said the GESI Roadmap seeks to directly address this imbalance.
In her keynote address, the Chief Executive, 2X Global, a global industry body for gender lens investing, Jessica Espinoza, cited a World Economic Forum study which noted that ‘advancing women’s employment could add $12 trillion to global gross domestic product (GDP).’ She also referenced research from the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and Boston Consulting Group, which estimated that global GDP could increase by as much as $5 trillion if women participated in entrepreneurship at the same rate as men. ‘Progress is strategic, not accidental, which is why the GESI roadmap is a critical blueprint for Nigeria’s future,’ Espinoza stressed.
Echoing this sentiment, the Sarkin Kano, His Highness Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II CON, called for a new national policy to significantly increase the representation of women on boards and in the management of public companies. ‘This will ensure equity and give a voice to redirect policies formation as they affect women,’ he stated, arguing that female underrepresentation ‘hinders progress and limits the nation’s ability to tap into its full potential.’
Chairman of the Impact Investors Foundation, Frank Aigbogun, emphasised the Summit’s transition from advocacy to action. ‘Building on those foundations of policy advocacy and innovative models, we now stand at a crucial turning point.This year’s theme signals our collective resolve to move decisively from aspiration to accountability. Today is truly historic because we are not simply holding another summit; we are launching the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Roadmap,’ he said.
He continued, ‘The targets we have set underscore the urgency of this challenge and the scale of our 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% integration of GESI principles among general partners. This framework is our commitment to ensure that capital is not exclusive, but truly inclusive.’
In a practical step to drive immediate investment, the summit included a dedicated ‘deal room,’ where investment-ready, women-led and women-owned businesses directly connected with capital providers, including impact investors and fund managers.
The GESI Roadmap was developed with vital support from 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. The launch reaffirms the Impact Investors Foundation’s dedication to establishing actionable interventions that build a gender-inclusive economy, driving both prosperity and social impact in Nigeria.