Foundation launches GESI roadmap, targets $8b capital in 10 years
Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, yesterday, called for a policy that would ensure women occupy 30 per cent in political cabinets.

He made the call at the third edition of the Gender Impact Investment Summit (GIIS) and the Impact Investors Foundation (IIF), where the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Roadmap 2025-2035 was unveiled.

The decade-of-action blueprint for gender equity and social inclusion in Nigeria was launched with the themed: “Investing in Equity: Advancing Gender-Led Solutions for Inclusive Development, held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The launch also introduced the Nigeria Inclusive Capital Commitment 2035 campaign to drive actionable plans towards the GESI roadmap goals.

In his remarks at the event, Sanusi said the question of gender-led businesses and enterprises is a matter of common sense, but that society complicates it and then imagines problems that do not exist.

He said some of the problems were deliberately created because those who benefited from the male-dominated world were unwilling to relinquish their privileges.

Also speaking, a former Chairperson of First Bank of Nigeria, Ibukun Awosika, said: “As a nation that seeks to sit in the place of greatness, we deserve to truly manifest the greatness of who we are but it’s almost impossible to do that if we continue to do the same thing with which we have not been able to fully actualise ourselves.

“If we do a swap test for Nigeria, our strength will be many, but it’s impossible to list them without realising the strength women bring to the table. Our weaknesses will be obvious, but it’s clear that even as we acknowledge our weaknesses, we will realise that not maximising women and other groups, such as disabled people, becomes a factor that has undermined our ability to perform at the maximum level.

Awosika who is also Chair, GSG Nigeria Partner and Vice Chair, GSG Impact, emphasised the campaign’s significance, saying: “The GESI roadmap moves us beyond aspiration to accountability, demanding that stakeholders not only mobilise inclusive capital at scale but also embed GESI principles into every investment decision and policy, thereby enabling the gaps to be closed, unlocking Nigeria’s full economic potential, and ensuring our growth is truly equitable and transformative.”

Also speaking, CEO, IIF, Etemore Glover, said: “This GESI Roadmap is not just a plan; it’s a blueprint for a significant shift in Nigeria’s economy. The scale of the targets underscores our commitment to a future where no one is left behind.”

CEO, 2X Global, Jessica Espinoza, in her keynote address, stressed the need for intentional action, saying: “Progress is strategic, not accidental, which is why the GESI roadmap is a critical blueprint for Nigeria’s future.”