UNDP Nigeria launched its SDG Investor Map in December 2020 as part of its solution towards increasing private sector capital flows for the SDGs. The process included rigorous research and public and private sector validation to arrive at specific SDG-aligned business models, where private investments may be channelled to create social, environmental, and financial returns. It identified opportunities where development needs and policy priorities align to create impact.

The investment map identified 17 Investment Opportunity Areas (IOA) across 7 sectors and is available on a public digital platform here. The platform provides an opportunity to access market information across several data points and connect with relevant organizations. 

To further showcase state and sector specific opportunities in Nigeria, several documentaries were produced, highlighting the business environment as well as policy and regulatory incentives provided by state governments to attract both domestic and international private sector capital. The documentaries project some of Nigeria’s competitive advantages including its vibrant young demographic, market size and market access – amplified by the now ratified Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The documentaries were showcased to a global audience of impact ecosystem players at the Annual Impact Investor Convening conducted in Lagos, Nigeria in November 2021 and organized by the Impact Investors Foundation.

Similarly, an Impact Facilitation event was conducted in December 2020 to showcase the results of the map and initiate a matchmaking between high-impact social enterprises and global and domestic investors operating across 3 major sectors of Renewable Energy, Healthcare, and Agriculture. The event also aimed at attracting large asset allocators and corporate actors open to exploring new investment thesis or diversifying their asset classes towards impact-oriented sectors.  

Watch the documentary here.

The SDG Impact initiative has positioned UNDP Nigeria as a key stakeholder within the private sector including through her membership at the National Advisory Board on Impact Investing (NABII), and partnerships with private sector actors and development partners across the country. 

UNDP Nigeria continues to provide support to the government to increase her development finance flows through the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF), providing actionable plans towards increasing public and private resource mobilization. The overarching objective remains to drive greater and more diverse volumes of capital to accelerate SDG progress in Nigeria.