The United Kingdom Government and FSD Africa have dedicated $335,000 to set up an funding community geared toward mobilising $2.7m (about N3.6 billion) from Nigerian traders to help women-led businesses throughout the nation.
The funding, funded by the UK Government by way of the British High Commission in Nigeria, will help the institution of the RiTA Investment Network by Rising Tide Africa, a women-led, pan-African community of angel traders.
The initiative goals to appeal to capital from Nigerian high-net-worth people, angel traders and household workplaces to finance 15 small and rising women-led businesses over the following three years.
Speaking on the initiative, Head of Green Growth and Private Sector Development on the British High Commission, Paul Healey, mentioned the partnership was a part of the UK Government’s broader help for enhancing entry to finance for promising businesses.
“Women entrepreneurs are building successful businesses across Nigeria, but many still face barriers to accessing the investment they need to grow. This partnership between the UK Government, FSD Africa and Rising Tide Africa is changing that,” he mentioned.
Healey added that the initiative would strengthen connections between entrepreneurs and traders, creating alternatives for businesses to increase, generate employment and contribute to Nigeria’s economic system.
Director for Early-Stage Finance at FSD Africa, Juliet Munro, mentioned the community would assist mobilise home capital and direct it in the direction of businesses requiring progress financing.
“Nigeria does not lack capital. Women angel investors in Rising Tide Africa have shown for years that they will back women-led businesses with their own money. The RiTA Investment Network gives that capital the structure and instrument to grow, in Naira, and at scale,” she mentioned.
The initiative seeks to tackle financing challenges going through small businesses, notably these owned by girls. According to the International Finance Corporation, Nigerian small businesses face a financing hole of about N13tn, with 19 in 20 unable to entry formal finance.
Women personal roughly 40 per cent of the nation’s small businesses however face credit score rejection at greater than 3 times the speed of males.
The community will present an funding platform supported by skilled credit score evaluation, an funding committee, an advisory board and monitoring programs to assist traders make knowledgeable financing choices.
Its financing mannequin will primarily contain revenue-based finance, below which repayments fluctuate with enterprise gross sales. The method is meant to help worthwhile businesses that lack collateral and don’t want to give up possession to fairness traders.
Yemi Keri, basic accomplice and spokesperson for the RiTA Investment Network, mentioned the funding would strengthen its capability to finance women-led enterprises.
“Women-led businesses in Nigeria are growing, and they need lenders who understand how they work. We founded RiTA to give investors a disciplined way to lend to them, one business at a time,” she mentioned.
Keri added that FSD Africa’s help would assist set up the buildings and programs wanted to increase the initiative.
Rising Tide Africa has secured about $1.5m in delicate commitments from its community, whereas the platform goals to mobilise roughly eight {dollars} in Nigerian personal capital for each greenback invested by FSD Africa.
The community accomplished its first transaction in September 2026, involving a syndicated company be aware to Ororo Waste Management Limited, whereas two different businesses are present process structuring and due diligence.
The longer-term ambition is to help the launch of a $10m naira-denominated progress debt fund for women-led businesses.
UPDATE NEWS:
Nigerians can now make investments ₦2.5 million on premium domains and revenue about ₦17-₦25 million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than surprise,
click here to find out how it works.
