The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), Nigeria’s leading wholesale financial institution, said it distributed a total of N358 billion to 289,000 businesses in its last year’s operation, a significant improvement on the previous year’s performance.

The bank said 81 per cent and 17 per cent of the beneficiaries were women-led and youth-owned enterprises, highlighting its inclusive and pro-development financing model.

The performance raised the total disbursement to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) since inception to over N1 trillion. It has also reached more than one million beneficiaries while supporting the creation of over 1.6 million jobs, it noted.

The bank disclosed the figures in an impact analysis released yesterday, describing the milestone as evidence of the bank’s growing role in addressing the financing gap facing small businesses across the country.

According to the bank, cumulative disbursements exceeded N1 trillion through 84 participating financial institutions, while more than one million end-beneficiary loans have been supported nationwide.

The bank noted that women-owned businesses of total disbursement accounted for 77 per cent of beneficiaries, while 28 per cent were youth-led enterprises, underscoring its focus on underserved segments of the economy.

The DBN also said it extended N108 billion to over 132,000 MSMEs in economically disadvantaged states, including Borno, Adamawa, Katsina, Yobe and Zamfara, where access to formal finance remains limited.

Beyond lending, DBN’s subsidiary, Impact Credit Guarantee Limited (ICGL), has issued guarantees worth over N512 billion since 2019, supporting more than 100,000 MSMEs. The firm covered N233 billion in guarantees in 2025 alone.

The bank added that more than 52,000 MSMEs have benefited from its capacity-building programmes, aimed at improving financial literacy, business management and access to finance.

It maintained that its interventions have contributed significantly to expanding credit access for small businesses, with private sector lending supported by its programmes accounting for an estimated 20 to 25 per cent of total MSME financing in Nigeria over the past five years.

Looking ahead, the bank plans to expand its reach to more than two million MSMEs under its current five-year strategic plan. It is targeting N1 trillion in loans outstanding, N500 billion in guarantees, N1.3 trillion in additional debt and equity mobilisation and the creation of two million direct and indirect jobs.

The bank also aims to increase financing for women, youth and businesses in underserved regions while growing its green finance portfolio to support climate-aligned enterprises.