The Co-Founder/Managing Director of Alitheia Capital, Tokunboh Ishmael, has said gender-inclusive investment could boost Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 13 per cent, adding that women-led businesses in Africa are facing a $42 billion financing gap, a shortfall that could limit the continent’s economic potential.

Speaking at the Gender Bonds Toolkit Dissemination Workshop hosted by FSD Africa in Lagos, Ishmael underscored the urgency of gender-lens investing, saying: “studies consistently show that gender-diverse companies outperform others by at least 20 per cent.

“As the world marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we must move beyond rhetoric and focus on practical solutions to address long-standing gender disparities,” she said.

Ishmael said economic exclusion was not just a social issue—it’s an economic misstep. “For an economy that prides itself on growth, it’s ironic how often half of its talent is overlooked, leaving a huge gender gap,” she stated.

She challenged business and government leaders to rethink financial policies: “Imagine your favourite football team playing with only half of its players—would they likely win?” She answered emphatically, “No.”

To win economically, Ishmael called on investors, policymakers, and corporations to take deliberate steps to dismantle gender-based financial barriers.

“At Alitheia Capital, gender-lens investing is not just an idea—it’s a strategy. More than 70 per cent of our investments go to female-led businesses,” Ishmael revealed.

A key initiative is its Gender Lens Toolkit which provides companies with a framework to evaluate gender inclusion at every stage of the investment process.

Beyond capital allocation, Alitheia Capital is tackling gender disparities in corporate governance and product design.

Ishmael urged governments and financial institutions to be intentional in addressing gender disparities in capital allocation.