DBN obtains African Development Bank funding to support women‑led micro, small and medium enterprises.

The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) and the African Development Bank Group have entered into a financing package worth $61 million to broaden credit access for women‑owned and women‑led micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) throughout Nigeria.

A statement released on Tuesday explained that the facility consists of three components intended to deepen MSME financing and enhance women’s involvement in priority sectors such as agriculture, clean energy and health care.

The package includes a $50 million gender‑focused line of credit, an $8 million concessional facility under the Agri‑Food SME Catalytic Financing Mechanism, and a $3 million grant provided through the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa initiative, which is supported by the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative.

The AfDB noted that over 95 percent of the total financing is earmarked for women‑owned and women‑led enterprises, describing the intervention as part of a broader effort to close the longstanding funding gap that restricts women entrepreneurs’ access to finance in Nigeria.

The funds will be channeled through DBN’s network of Participating Financial Institutions, which are expected to on‑lend to eligible MSMEs across the country. The arrangement blends long‑term financing, concessional capital, partial credit guarantees and technical assistance to reinforce Nigeria’s MSME ecosystem.

The AfDB stated that the intervention seeks to raise the proportion of women‑focused lending within DBN’s MSME portfolio, and added that the initiative supports private‑sector‑driven growth and inclusive economic transformation.

Dr Abdul Kamara, Director‑General of the AfDB’s Nigeria Country Office, said women entrepreneurs remain a critical yet under‑served segment of the economy.

He said, “This operation reflects the African Development Bank’s commitment to unlocking economic opportunities for women. By working through DBN, we are not only expanding access to credit; we are investing in the engine of Nigeria’s inclusive economic transformation.”

The new facility further reinforces the long‑standing partnership between the AfDB and DBN, which was originally established with support from the AfDB and other development partners to improve finance access for MSMEs in Nigeria.