Economy
Stakeholders Suggest Ways to Fast-track Growth of Impact Investing in Nigeria
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigerian government has been advised to formulate strong policies and incentives to attract more impact investments in the country.
These and other recommendations were given at a stakeholder validation workshop organised by the Nigerian National Advisory Board for Impact Investing (NABII) in partnership with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).
The event was themed Investing for Impact in Nigeria: A deep dive into Agriculture, Education and Health Sectors, and it was aimed at unlocking the country’s impact investing potential with a focus on the agriculture, education and health sectors.
The initiative was made possible with support from the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG), OTT Impacto and financed by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
The seminar was used to unveil the findings of the report and gather expert opinions and feedback on areas where the deep dive research report could further be improved.
The Vice Chair for NABII, Mr Afolabi Oladele, while presenting his keynote address at the event, expressed confidence in the findings of the study, saying it would bridge the information gap for impact investing in Nigeria and accelerate its growth.
The expert panel session, moderated by the chief executive of the Impact Investors Foundation, Ms Etemore Glover, had the Vice President, Financial Markets, AFEX Commodities Exchange Limited, Oluwafunto Olasemo; the founder of Teesas, Mr Osayi Izedonmwen; the Chairman/Medical Director of ECHOLAB Radiology and Laboratory Services, Dr Ayodele Cole Benson; the Director of Partnership and Coordination of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDAN), Dr Friday Okpara; and the Executive Director of Policy Innovation Centre at NESG, Dr Osasuyi Dirisu.
They discussed the high-level findings of the study, provided deep insight into issues in the various sectors and highlighted potential policy recommendations for developing an inclusive and gender-balanced impact investing market in Nigeria.
Olasemo emphasized the need for capacity building for all stakeholders, particularly MSMEs, investors and policymakers to fast-track the growth of the impact investing ecosystem.
Izedonmwen noted that investors needed to get educated on the viability of impact investment and why it was important to allocate funds from Development Finance Institutions and pension funds to impact investments, adding that social enterprises need to realize that the funds they received are meant to generate profit and social impact.
Sharing his perspectives on the health sector, Benson noted that a weak governance structure, poor financial accountability systems and low-profit margin in most private healthcare facilities are limiting access to funding, adding that the operators in the sectors require financing with a long-gestational period.
Dirisu advocated policies that would increase the participation of women in impact investing while ultimately creating a more equitable society for all men and women.
Commenting on the plight of MSMEs in the country, Okpara stated that access to capital is a major impediment to business growth and called for policies that would enhance their businesses and improve access to finance.
The collaborative study revealed a $186.17 billion financing gap in Nigeria’s agriculture, health and education sectors.
The research identified key investment instruments for MSMEs operating within the agriculture, healthcare and education sectors, with gender and sustainability as the cross-cutting guiding principles. Some of these instruments include low-cost debt financing, grant, equity and hybrid financing (debt and grant).
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United States has lamented Nigeria’s import ban on 25 different products, particularly in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, beverages, and consumer goods, as it rationalised the recent decision to slap a 14 per cent retaliatory tariff.
The United States Trade Representative, in a statement on Monday posted on its X platform, said Nigeria’s restrictions on items like beef, pork, poultry, fruit juices, medicaments, and spirits limit US market access and reduce export opportunities.
“These policies create significant trade barriers that lead to lost revenue for US businesses looking to expand in the Nigerian market,” it wrote.
Last week, the administration of President Donald Trump imposed various tariffs ranging between 10 per cent and 65 per cent on different countries across the world, including Nigeria which got a 14 per cent tariff on its exports to the US.
In response, the Nigerian Minister of Trade, Industry, and Investment, Mrs Jumoke Oduwole, said Nigeria would take a pragmatic approach and will boost non-oil exports to deal with the drawbacks from the US move.
She also said Nigeria will be willing to negotiate and will be speaking with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on the way forward.
On his part, the Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, said that the Economic Management Team (EMT) would meet to assess the likely impact of the 14 per cent tariff on goods exported from Nigeria to the US.
He said the EMT will afterwards, make recommendations to cushion its impact on the nation’s economy.
The Minister also said the federal government will boost non-revenue as a means of cushioning the adverse effects to trade tariffs imposed on countries by President Trump.
Mr Edun also assured that while the adverse effect on Nigeria will be through an oil price plunge, the government is intensifying efforts to ramp up oil production and boost non-oil revenues.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria and Japan have launched a strategic venture capital initiative that will channel Naira-denominated investments into high-growth startups, shielding them from currency risks while unlocking access to long-term concessional financing.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, met with officials from the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to finalise the framework of the fund, which has now received formal approval from the Japanese government.
Speaking on the development, Mr Edun welcomed the development, calling it a timely response to Nigeria’s youthful demography.
He said this fund provides critical financial backing across the capital structure—from equity to debt—and is aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for inclusive economic growth, he stated.
On his part, NSIA CEO, Mr Aminu Umar-Sadiq confirmed that the initiative satisfies two key conditions set by the Minister: mitigating foreign exchange volatility by investing in Naira and securing first-loss or grant capital to de-risk private investment.
“With JICA’s support, this is not just a proposed solution—it’s a fully approved, ready-to-launch initiative,” Mr Umar-Sadiq said.
By combining international concessional financing with domestic currency stability, the fund marks a new model for venture capital in Africa, aimed squarely at empowering the next generation of Nigerian innovators.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, has said the country’s Economic Management Team (EMT) would meet to assess the likely impact of the 14 per cent tariff on goods exported from Nigeria to the United States.
Mr Edun made the disclosure while speaking at an event organised by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) on Monday.
The Trump administration recently imposed various tariffs ranging between 10 per cent and 65 per cent on different countries across the world, including Nigeria which got a 14 per cent tariff on its exports to the United States.
He said the EMT will afterwards make recommendations to cushion its impact on the nation’s economy, noting that the federal government will boost non-revenue as a means of cushioning the adverse effects to trade tariffs imposed on countries by President Trump.
Mr Edun stated that while the adverse effect on Nigeria will result in an oil price plunge, the government is intensifying efforts to ramp up oil production and boost non-oil revenues.
The Finance Minister noted that the US, which is at the centre of the tariff war had on April 2, announced that it would exempt mineral exports, including oil.
“Therefore, it’s the price effect, the oil price effect that may affect Nigeria. And it is the job and responsibility of the economic management team of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, amongst others, to look at the various scenarios that might play out.
“There’s global uncertainty at a huge level, so nobody knows exactly what will happen- the announcement that has been made. We’re not sure what will be delayed, what will be reversed, or what will be implemented.
“So, it is not an announcement that the budget is being reviewed. It’s an announcement that it is our responsibility to look at the various scenarios and options and advise government accordingly.”
Mr Edun also highlighted plans to look at budget adjustment, expenditure prioritisation as well as innovative non-debt financing strategies.
According to him, Nigeria had recorded a trade surplus in the last three years (2022-2024) with the US.
“Nigeria-US Trade has been in surplus in the last 3 years (2022-2024). Nigeria’s exports to the US were N1.8 trillion, N2.6 trillion and N5.5 trillion in 2022-2024, respectively.
“Fortunately, oil and mineral exports accounted for 92 per cent. Implying oil and minerals exports amounted to N5.08 trillion in value while non-oil was just N0.44 trillion.
“Consequently, the tariff effect on exports is negligible if we sustain our oil and minerals export volume.
“The adverse effect on Nigeria will be through oil price plunge. We are intensifying efforts to ramp up crude oil production to curtail any price effect
“We are also focusing on non-oil revenue mobilisation by FIRS and Customs, budget adjustment and prioritisation where possible, and also and innovative non-debt financing strategies,” the Minister said.
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