A decisive step aimed at operationalising its Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) roadmap has been taken by the Impact Investors Foundation (IIF).
Last week, the organisation organised a high-level workshop in Lagos to equip institutions with the tools, standards, and data necessary to integrate GESI into capital allocation decisions.
In attendance for this programme were investors, policymakers, development partners, and private sector leaders.
The Nigeria Gender-Smart and Inclusive Capital workshop served as a critical component of the broader implementation strategy initiated after the launch of Nigeria’s Gender/GESI Roadmap at the 2025 Gender Impact Investment Summit.
“Following the landmark launch of Nigeria’s Gender/GESI Roadmap in 2025, this workshop represents the essential next strategic step in our journey towards a truly inclusive financial ecosystem,” the chief executive of IIF, Ms Etemore Glover, told participants.
“It is not enough to have a roadmap; we must now begin to operationalise it through institutional transformation that goes beyond mere policy alignment.
“This phase is critical because it moves us past advocacy and into the rigorous work of implementation, ensuring that organisations begin to intentionally deploy strategies to bridge the gaps that have historically sidelined women and marginalised groups,” she added.
Ms Glover submitted that, “With growing evidence that diverse and inclusive enterprises outperform their peers in risk management, innovation, and long-term value creation, Nigeria’s push to operationalise gender-smart investing reflects both a moral imperative and a significant market opportunity.”
A central highlight was a technical deep dive into the Gender/GESI Roadmap, presented by a Partner from PwC. The roadmap provides a structured approach to embedding gender-smart principles across the entire investment lifecycle: deal sourcing, by identifying women-led or gender-diverse enterprises; due diligence, through assessing GESI-related risks and opportunities; portfolio management, by strengthening inclusive governance; and exit strategies, which focus on ensuring long-term impact sustainability.
Investment and sustainability professionals from Verod Capital at the event shared practical strategies for embedding GESI metrics into governance systems. Additionally, a case study from Alitheia Capital illustrated how gender-lens investing drives both financial performance and measurable social impact.
Further, experts from 2X Global and Moremi Capital delivered sessions on the Foundations of Gender-Smart Investing, contextualising global standards such as the 2X Criteria for the Nigerian investment landscape.
These discussions demonstrated how investors can intentionally benefit women-led businesses, women in leadership, and women as value chain participants.
Organisations were charged with embedding gender-smart principles into their core operations to unlock Nigeria’s full economic potential, effectively turning the roadmap into the standard for investment in the nation’s future.