The Development Bank of Nigeria has disbursed more than N1tn to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises through participating financial institutions since it commenced operations in 2017.
The bank disclosed this in a review of its operations up to December 2025, highlighting achievements in lending, capacity building, job creation and credit guarantees.
Speaking in Lagos on Wednesday, the Managing Director, DBN, Dr Tony Okpanachi, said the bank has onboarded 84 participating financial institutions comprising deposit money banks, microfinance banks, merchant banks and other financial institutions, while disbursing over N1tn to businesses nationwide.
In a presentation, he explained that the bank facilitated more than one million end-beneficiary loans, with women accounting for 77 per cent of beneficiaries and youths representing 28 per cent.
He added that over N108bn was disbursed to more than 132,000 MSMEs operating in economically disadvantaged states such as Borno, Adamawa, Katsina, Yobe and Zamfara.
On capacity development, the bank stated that it had trained more than 52,000 MSMEs across the country and developed a Learning Management System to expand training opportunities for entrepreneurs.
The DBN further stated that its interventions had contributed to the creation of more than 1.6 million jobs, while over 20 participating financial institutions benefited from its technical assistance programme.
In the area of risk-sharing, Okpanachi said, “Over N512bn guarantees have been issued to more than 100,000 MSMEs since 2019.”
The institution also noted that private sector loans to MSMEs accounted for about 20 to 25 per cent of lending to the segment over the past five years. For the 2025 financial year alone, the bank reported that it onboarded five additional participating financial institutions and disbursed more than N358bn to businesses.
It stated that the disbursements translated into more than 289,000 end-beneficiary loans, with women accounting for 81 per cent of recipients and youths making up 17 per cent. The bank said it channelled N59bn to more than 63,000 MSMEs in economically disadvantaged regions during the year.
It added that over 48,000 MSMEs received training in 2025, while its interventions helped create more than 376,000 jobs. According to the bank, more than 20 participating financial institutions also received support through its technical assistance programme, while over N233bn in guarantees were issued to more than 39,000 MSMEs during the year.
The DBN highlighted several institutional milestones, including maintaining a “Low” and “Stable” supervisory rating from the Central Bank of Nigeria for four consecutive years.
The bank stated that both Agusto & Co. and GCR assigned it a AAA credit rating, reflecting strong corporate governance, financial performance, risk management and capacity to meet financial obligations.
Other achievements listed by the institution include recognition as the World Bank’s Best Project in Nigeria, accreditation as a Green Climate Fund Direct Access Entity, and two Global SME Finance Awards from the SME Finance Forum.
The awards included SME Financier of the Year – Platinum under the Global Development Finance Institution category and SME Financier of the Year – Silver under the Africa category.
The bank also cited its Level Five SSCI Accreditation, first-place ranking in the Transparency and Integrity Index in 2022 and 2023, and the Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development awarded in 2023.
Looking ahead, the DBN said its five-year strategy would focus on scaling its impact by reaching more than two million MSMEs, growing loans outstanding to N1tn and increasing guarantees issued to N500bn.
The bank’s boss stated, “Our strategic intent over this period is to achieve scale.” Okpanachi added that the bank plans to mobilise N1.3tn in new debt and equity capital, ensure that 30 per cent of loans support youth-led businesses and 40 per cent support women-led enterprises, while increasing lending to underserved regions and expanding green financing.
He said the bank also targets the creation of two million new direct and indirect jobs and a cumulative five-year profit before tax of about N300bn.
Meanwhile, the DBN said its wholly owned subsidiary, Impact Credit Guarantee Limited, established in 2019 through a World Bank-supported initiative, had guaranteed over N500bn in loans and supported more than 93,000 MSMEs and small corporations as of 2025.
The Development Bank of Nigeria was incorporated in September 2014 and received a wholesale development finance institution licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria in March 2017 before commencing operations in November 2017.
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