The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), the country's leading wholesale financial institution, announced that it distributed a total of N358 billion to 289,000 businesses during its last fiscal year, marking a significant improvement over the previous year's performance.
The bank revealed that 81 percent of the beneficiaries were women-led enterprises, while 17 percent were youth-owned businesses, underscoring its inclusive and pro-development financing model. This achievement raised the total disbursement to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) since inception to over N1 trillion. Additionally, the DBN has reached more than one million beneficiaries and supported the creation of over 1.6 million jobs.
These figures were disclosed in an impact analysis released yesterday, which the bank described as evidence of its growing role in addressing the financing gap facing small businesses across Nigeria. According to the DBN, cumulative disbursements exceeded N1 trillion through 84 participating financial institutions, with more than one million end-beneficiary loans supported nationwide.
The bank noted that women-owned businesses accounted for 77 percent of total disbursement beneficiaries, while 28 percent were youth-led enterprises, highlighting its focus on underserved segments of the economy. The DBN also 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, the DBN's subsidiary, Impact Credit Guarantee Limited (ICGL), has issued guarantees worth over N512 billion since 2019, supporting more than 100,000 MSMEs. In 2025 alone, the firm covered N233 billion in guarantees. 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.
The DBN 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 percent of total MSME financing in Nigeria over the past five years.
Future Plans
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.
