Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) partnered with the Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) at the 2026 Gender and Inclusion Summit, themed “From Agenda to Action: Making Innovations Count for the Last Mile.”

As part of the partnership, IPA hosted the Learning Workshop, themed “Evidence to Action: Unlocking Access to Credit and Capital for Women-Owned Businesses in Nigeria,” bringing together policymakers, financial-sector actors, development partners, researchers, and other ecosystem stakeholders to examine evidence on the barriers and opportunities shaping women’s access to credit and capital.

At the workshop, IPA shared existing evidence on women’s access to credit and capital and facilitated a working session where participants mapped the evidence to specific opportunity areas for improving access for women, particularly women-owned businesses.

IPA will continue to engage and support relevant stakeholders, especially financial service providers, to apply evidence in strengthening their products, processes, and offerings for women, with a particular focus on access to credit and capital.

The partnership underscores IPA’s commitment to connecting rigorous evidence with policy and practice to unlock opportunities for women enterprises to thrive. Learn more about IPA Nigeria’s Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) portfolio.

Photos: © 2026 Nathaniel Ogbu

Samuel Nwaokomah (Senior Policy Manager, IPA Nigeria) speaking at the event.

Henry Chukwu (Associate Director, Policy, IPA Nigeria) speaking at the event while an interpreter stands alongside him.