A new report from African fintech firm Moniepoint MFB reveals that the lender disbursed over $700 million in loans to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) last year, with a significant portion targeted at women-owned businesses.
By shifting from traditional collateral requirements to transaction-data-driven credit assessments, the company significantly expanded credit access to female entrepreneurs across Nigeria.
Key Data & Lending Insights
| Metric / Parameter | Performance & Insights |
| Total MSME Disbursements | Over $700 Million disbursed in the previous year. |
| First-Time Borrowers | 75% (3 out of 4) of all loan recipients accessed formal business financing for the first time. |
| Female Entrepreneur Share | Women accounted for 36% of total borrowers, with 62% receiving their first formal business loan. |
| Default Rate Comparison | Female-owned businesses were 2.5x less likely to default compared to male-owned enterprises. |
| Loan Growth to Women | Moniepoint increased credit allocation to women-owned businesses by over 300% in 2025. |
Closing Nigeria’s Gender Financing Gap
-
Data Over Collateral: Moniepoint evaluates loan repayment viability using real-time cash flow and transaction history, bypassing traditional property collateral and heavy documentation barriers.
-
National & Global Context: While women manage roughly one-third of Nigeria’s MSMEs, EFInA data shows a persistent financial inclusion gap, with 45% of women accessing formal financial services compared to 56% of men. Globally, female-owned small businesses face a $1.9 trillion funding deficit.
