By Henry Uche
Representatives of government, funds managers, development agencies, investors, finance experts, enterprise support organisations, economists, among others, have said that it’s possible to improve the welfare of Nigerians through a conscientious impact investment, despite the hostile economy.
They made this known at an African Impact Summit Study Tour which held in Lagos to herald the 2025 Africa Impact Summit, put together by Impact Investors Foundation (IIF).
To them, this envisaged economic leap is feasible if managers of human and material resources and other support groups are deliberate in what they do across board given the natural resoources the country has.
These stakeholders from within and outside Africa’s business landscape explored trade and investment opportunities in Nigeria, relevant regulations and policies, and strategies for strengthening the continent’s impact investing ecosystem.
With the theme: “Transforming Systems; Redefining Impact for Real Change in Africa”, the speakers said it is time Africa leaders stopped dancing around foreign money lenders, and start looking inwards for solutions, impact and development.
They said the need to raise more serious entrepreneurs is long overdue, men and women who would be trained to embrace change, investment ready, local solutions providers, legacy -minded people, and thought business leaders. To the CEO, GSG, Impact Investing, Ms. Elizabeth Davidsen, impact investing is a road to tour, given its ultimate end goal which is to affect the lives of millions of people in the positive way.
“The impact investment community is vibrant, it is diversified, and super poised to make more impact. The government should unlock some of the impact capital and policies like regulations around the pension funds could be helpful to invest in the impact investing here in Nigeria. More so, Nigerian youths and entrepreneurs should get involved in impact investing” she urged.
On her part, the Chair, GSG Nigerian Partner, and Vice Chair, GSG Impact, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, sought the removal of bottlenecks, setting up the right value chain, getting the right players in place, and helping to activate the value Chain that delivers the right results for economic growth.
“The building blocks are set up, the ecosystem is being improved on, and the multiple layers of players that can add value to the ecosystem are now learning how to collaborate in other to build the right system to achieve the goal that is necessary”
In a remark, the Chair of IIF, Mr. Frank Aigbogun, assured that the Group would not lose focus from promoting and institutionalizing a robust culture of impact investing in Nigeria, and would leave no stone unturned in promoting such investments that not only deliver commercial returns, but also generate measurable positive social and environmental outcomes.
“We pursue outcomes that contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s sustainable development. We pursue this mission through our various initiatives, engagements with capital allocators, and active policy advocacy. Together, we are not just investing in projects; we are investing in people, in communities, and in Africa’s future” he affirmed.