DBN disburse N272 billion to 518,170 female entrepreneurs
By Patience Ikpeme
As part of its gender inclusion strategy, the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) has provided over N272 billion in funding to more than 518,170 women-owned businesses, representing 74% of its beneficiaries.
This demonstrates DBN’s strong dedication to supporting female entrepreneurs nationwide.
This was disclosed at the unveiling ceremony of the banks 2025 gender report and the celebration of the 2025 international women’s day with the theme ‘Accelerate Action , ‘ on Thursday in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the MD/CEO DBN, Dr Tony Okpanachi described this as been more than gender inclusion and commitment, but also a strategic imperative to drive women’s empowerment.
“We do not just believe in women’s economic empowerment—we are funding it, enabling it, and scaling it. Over the years, we have taken deliberate action to ensure that more women-led businesses have access to financing and capacity-building programs” he stated.
Dr Okpanachi futher expressed that the bank is currently targeting financing which has supported female entrepreneurs in diverse sectors, including fashion, agribusiness, technology, trade, healthcare, and renewable energy, ensuring they contribute meaningfully to the economy.
“But we are not stopping here. We recognize that access to finance alone is not enough. Women entrepreneurs need more than capital, they need strategic partnerships, policy support, mentorship, and market access to thrive in an increasingly competitive world” he added
One of our notable achievements is the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (WE-FI) Code, a groundbreaking collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bank of Industry (BOI). This initiative focuses on improving women’s access to finance, capacity-building, and business networking, highlighting our dedication to fostering a gender-inclusive financial ecosystem where women-owned businesses can flourish.
Dr Okpanachi urged the government to remove systemic barriers for women in business and embed gender inclusion in economic strategies. Abd also to financial institutions to Redefine risk assessments and increase funding for women-led businesses.
He further called for private sector Support for female-owned businesses and promote inclusive supply chains, and encouraged women entrepreneurs to give their best and that DBN pledges support through financing, training, and advocacy to help them innovate and grow.
