The Bank of Industry (BOI) disbursed N644.9 billion to businesses across Nigeria in 2025, supporting an estimated 1.68 million jobs, according to the lender’s inaugural Annual Development Impact Report.
The report, presented in Abuja by the bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Olasupo Olusi, provides a comprehensive assessment of BOI’s development financing activities and their economic impact during the year.
According to the report, the funding was channelled to enterprises of varying sizes, including nano, micro, small, medium and large-scale businesses, reflecting the institution’s broad mandate to promote industrialisation, enterprise growth and inclusive economic development.
BOI said more than 30 per cent of the total disbursement was directed to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), a segment widely regarded as the backbone of Nigeria’s private sector because of its significant contribution to employment and economic activity.
The report also showed that more than 20 per cent of the financing was allocated to businesses led by women and young entrepreneurs, underscoring the bank’s focus on expanding access to finance for groups that often face greater barriers to credit.
Development finance institutions such as BOI play a strategic role in supporting sectors and businesses that may not have adequate access to commercial lending. By providing long-term financing, they seek to stimulate investment, strengthen industrial capacity and promote sustainable economic growth.
The bank estimates that its 2025 interventions helped sustain or create approximately 1.68 million jobs, highlighting the broader economic impact of its lending activities beyond direct financial support to businesses.
To strengthen confidence in the findings, BOI said the impact metrics contained in the report were independently assured by KPMG and the Policy Innovation Centre (PIC). Independent assurance provides an external review of reported outcomes and is intended to enhance the credibility and transparency of development impact assessments.
The publication of the Annual Development Impact Report marks a significant step in BOI’s efforts to measure and communicate the outcomes of its financing programmes. As demand for development finance continues to grow amid Nigeria’s evolving economic landscape, the report offers stakeholders greater insight into how public-backed financing is contributing to business expansion, employment generation and inclusive economic development.
