Mobilising for financial inclusion in Nigeria

A leading global philanthropic foundation is deepening its commitment to financial inclusion in Africa, with Nigeria as a priority market. Although significant progress has been made over the last two decades, 1 in 4 Nigerian adults remain excluded from formal financial services. Africa Practice has supported the foundation’s efforts through data-driven advocacy, ecosystem mobilisation, and targeted policy engagement. Ultimately, this work laid the groundwork for a more inclusive financial system.

Challenge: Expanding access at scale

Nigeria has made steady gains in bringing more people into the financial system. But it still hadn’t hit its ambitious target: 95% financial inclusion. The foundation understood that digital financial services—affordable, trusted, and widely available—were key to unlocking opportunity, especially for underserved communities. What stood in the way was not just technology, but perception, policy, and trust.

Approach: Partnership-powered advocacy

For more than ten years, Africa Practice has supported the foundation’s financial inclusion efforts in Nigeria. Our comprehensive approach blends insight generation, technical support, policy engagement, and narrative design. First, we turned complex data into actionable insights. Then, we mapped stakeholder ecosystems and crafted human-centered campaigns to shift perceptions and influence policy. We brought together key players, regulators, service providers, civil society, and community champions into a coordinated advocacy force. As a result, we amplified credible voices, built a network of reform advocates, and delivered integrated campaigns that reached both policymakers and the public.

Outcome: Policy shifts and real progress

Despite persistent economic challenges, Nigeria has made tangible progress toward its financial inclusion goals. Specifically, our work with the foundation helped remove long-standing regulatory hurdles and elevated financial inclusion as a national development priority, embedding it within Nigeria’s Economic Growth and Recovery Plan. This work reinforced our client’s reputation as a trusted development partner, one that backs systems change, not just short-term solutions. It also demonstrated the power of catalytic capital when it’s locally grounded and strategically deployed. For Nigeria, the initiative opened up new pathways to universal financial access. It built trust, supported innovation, and brought life-changing services to more people. And for other African countries, it showed what’s possible when advocacy is bold, inclusive, and built to last.

Key Takeaway: Africa Practice’s perspective

Inclusion isn’t something you can import. It has to be built from the ground up, shaped by local realities, and driven by local champions. That’s exactly what we helped do in Nigeria. This work reflects our broader approach of empowering partners to navigate complexity, bring together unlikely allies, and create the momentum for real, lasting change.

Capabilities

• Policy intelligence
• Political economy analysis
• Stakeholder mapping and engagement
• Mobilisation and campaigning