Development Bank of Nigeria

What Development Bank of Nigeria does

Development Bank of Nigeria Plc (DBN) is a development finance institution established in September 2014 by the Federal Government of Nigeria in partnership with five international finance institutions — the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), KfW Development Bank, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and European Investment Bank (EIB). The bank was founded to alleviate financing constraints faced by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria, operating exclusively as a wholesale on-lending institution that channels funds through a network of 84+ Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) rather than lending directly to borrowers. Its core product portfolio comprises four offerings: Partial Credit Risk Guarantees (risk-sharing with PFIs), Capacity Building (technical assistance), Finance to Finance On-lending (wholesale funding for PFI MSME operations), and a Long-Term Finance Scheme providing tenors up to 10 years with 18-month principal moratoriums. DBN is supported by a digital lending platform, the BizAid mobile learning application, and the DBN Loan Portal for PFI and MSME onboarding, and operates a wholly-owned subsidiary, Impact Credit Guarantee Limited, that manages credit guarantee operations. As of December 2025, the bank had cumulatively disbursed ₦1.4 trillion across its PFI network.

DBN's revenue mechanics derive from net interest spread on on-lending to PFIs and guarantee fees on partial credit guarantees, with loans priced at flexible market-referenced rates based on tenure rather than publicly disclosed schedules. Its go-to-market is entirely indirect — credit evaluation and loan supervision are conducted by PFIs, while DBN provides financing and risk-sharing upstream. Customer segments center on underserved Nigerian MSMEs across four priority verticals: general MSME finance, agriculture/agribusiness, climate-focused enterprises (via Green Climate Fund accreditation secured March 2026), and digital economy enterprises (targeted under the €200M EIB Global partnership signed June 2026). Capital intensity is the bank's defining commercial characteristic, anchored by sovereign and multilateral backers. Strategic leadership rests with Managing Director/CEO Dr. Tony Okpanachi, supported by a CFO, Chief Risk & Compliance Officer, and COO. The institution is headquartered in Abuja with a liaison office in Lagos and operates 51–100 employees.

Name

Development Bank of Nigeria

Legal name

Development Bank of Nigeria Plc.

Website

https://devbankng.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Development Bank of Nigeria is a government-backed wholesale development finance institution that channels medium- and long-term financing and partial credit guarantees through 84+ Nigerian banks and microfinance institutions to underserved micro, small, and medium enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Development Finance

NAICS

Commercial Banking (522110)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

National Development Banks & State Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) (BPADACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Policy Banks (Government-Directed Lending Banks) (FSABAKAM), Private Sector & Blended Finance Arms (IFC-type) (BPADACAJ)

Keywords

• Development finance
• MSME lending
• Credit guarantees
• Wholesale on-lending
• Climate finance

Headquarters

HQ city

Abuja

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. On-lending to Financial Institutions: DBN provides wholesale financing to Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) who then on-lend to MSMEs. This on-lending scheme supports Financial Institutions' lending operations to MSMEs, with longer tenures up to 10 years for investment projects and up to 18 months moratorium on principal repayment.
2. Partial Credit Risk Guarantees: DBN shares risk with Participating Financial Institutions through partial credit guarantees, enabling lenders to extend credit to businesses considered too risky without such support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Development Bank of Nigeria is a wholesale development finance institution that provides medium to long-term financing (up to 10 years) and partial credit guarantees to Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) — commercial banks and microfinance institutions — which then on-lend to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria. The bank complements its financing with technical assistance and capacity-building programs, including the BizAid digital learning platform and the Entrepreneurship Training Programme (ETP).

Product overview

Development Bank of Nigeria is a development finance institution established in 2014 by the Federal Government of Nigeria in partnership with international finance institutions (World Bank, AfDB, KfW, AFD, EIB) to alleviate financing constraints faced by Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria. The bank operates as a wholesale financing institution that channels funds through 84 Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) rather than lending directly to businesses. Its core product portfolio centers on four financing products: Partial Credit Risk Guarantees (risk-sharing with PFIs), Capacity Building (technical assistance), Finance to Finance On-lending, and Long-Term Finance Scheme (up to 10 years). Supporting these core offerings are digital platforms including the BizAid Mobile App and BizAid Learning Platform for entrepreneur development, and the DBN Entrepreneurship Training Programme combining virtual learning with regional workshops and pitch competitions. Research output is delivered through the DBN Journal of Economics & Sustainable Growth and DBN Working Paper Series, with the bank having disbursed ₦1.4 trillion across its portfolio as of December 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BizAid: A mobile learning application and platform for MSME capacity building, featuring self-paced business courses and training programs

Products and services

• Partial Credit Risk Guarantees Risk-sharing mechanism where Development Bank of Nigeria shares credit risk with Participating Financial Institutions to encourage lending to MSMEs that would otherwise be considered too risky. Used by Nigerian commercial banks and microfinance institutions to extend credit to underserved MSMEs.
• Capacity Building Technical assistance and capacity-building services provided to both Participating Financial Institutions and ultimate MSME borrowers to enhance lending capacity, business skills, and financial management. Includes training, advisory, and the Entrepreneurship Training Programme.
• Finance to Finance On-lending Wholesale on-lending scheme designed for Financial Institutions to support their lending operations to MSMEs. DBN provides financing to PFIs which then on-lend to MSME end-borrowers, with terms including up to 18 months moratorium on principal repayment for working capital and investment projects.
• Long Term Finance Scheme Long-term financing provided to Participating Financial Institutions to support their lending to MSMEs for periods up to 10 years, with market-referenced flexible interest rates and up to 18 months moratorium on principal repayment for working capital and investment projects.
• DBN Loan Portal Online portal at loans.devbankng.com enabling Participating Financial Institutions to manage loan operations and MSMEs to access financing applications through DBN's PFI network.
• BizAid Digital Learning Platform and Mobile App BizAid is an online learning management system and mobile application delivering self-paced MSME training courses including Accounting & Bookkeeping, Marketing & Sales Techniques, Sustainability for Small Businesses, and Credit Management & Access to Finance. Available on the web at learning.devbankng.com and as a mobile app on Google Play Store and App Store.

Quantifiable outcome

• Total Amount Disbursed: ₦1.4 Trillion to MSMEs
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• National Council on Climate Change (NCCC)coreOthersNCCC serves as Nigeria's National Designated Authority and official Focal Point for GCF. All project proposals under DBN's GCF engagement must be routed through NCCC for initial assessment and alignment with Nigeria's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bank of Industry (BOI): Nigeria's flagship industrial development finance institution, providing wholesale and direct financing to MSMEs and small corporates. Closest domestic comparable to DBN, with similar government sponsorship and development mandate, though BOI leans more toward direct lending and industrial sectors.
• Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM): Federal Government-owned DFI focused on export development and trade finance. Comparable to DBN as a Nigerian DFI using wholesale and intermediary channels, but with a narrower export/trade mandate.
• Bank of Agriculture (BOA): Nigerian government-owned agricultural and rural development bank offering financing to agribusinesses and rural MSMEs. Comparable to DBN as a public-sector DFI serving MSME segments, with overlapping agricultural finance focus.

Broad incumbents

• Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA): Large, established South African DFI with infrastructure and development mandate funded by government and multilaterals. Comparable to DBN in structure and wholesale DFI model, though materially larger and more infrastructure-focused.
• International Finance Corporation (IFC): World Bank Group's private sector development finance arm and a founding capital partner of DBN. Comparable as a blended finance institution providing wholesale financing and credit guarantees to financial intermediaries in emerging markets, including Nigeria.
• African Development Bank (AfDB): Continental DFI and one of DBN's founding capital partners. Comparable as a wholesale development lender to African financial intermediaries, with overlapping MSME financing, climate finance, and partial credit guarantee activities.
• European Investment Bank (EIB): EU's long-term lending bank and a founding capital partner of DBN, with Nigeria as its largest African country of operations. Comparable as a wholesale DFI providing long-tenor financing and partial credit guarantees through financial intermediaries.
• KfW Development Bank: German state-owned development bank and a founding capital partner of DBN. Comparable as a wholesale DFI channelling concessional financing and technical assistance to financial intermediaries in emerging markets.

Regional players

• Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA): South African government's MSME development agency providing non-financial and limited financial support to small enterprises. Comparable to DBN's MSME capacity-building function, though primarily advisory rather than wholesale financing.
• Ghana Exim Bank (GEXIM): Ghanaian government-owned DFI focused on export and SME financing. Comparable to DBN as a national DFI using intermediary channels, though serving a different national market with a stronger trade/export emphasis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DevBankNG
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/development-bank-of-nigeria

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Development Bank of Nigeria