Female entrepreneurs are demonstrating stronger loan repayment records than their male counterparts, with default rates among women-owned businesses 2.5 times lower than those of male borrowers.
The finding, highlighted in Moniepoint’s 2025 Impact Report, underscores a major shift in micro, small and medium enterprise financing across the region. According to the report, female-led enterprises not only demonstrated superior credit discipline but also absorbed a record level of financing over the past year.
Loans extended to women-owned businesses surged by over 300 per cent in 2025. This influx brought female portfolio allocation to 36 per cent of Moniepoint’s total disbursed credit, far outpacing the traditional industry benchmark of 16 per cent to 25 per cent.
The shift reflects broader efforts across the fintech and banking sector to bridge the persistent gender credit gap in emerging markets.
For a majority of female entrepreneurs, formal credit access remains a relatively new milestone. The report noted that 62 per cent of surveyed female business owners received their very first formal business loan through the platform. Overall, three out of four merchants who secured credit across the institution’s network were first-time borrowers entering the formal credit system. Related News Your driving records can indicate credit worthiness ─ Mathesis CEO Finance charges drive Dangote Sugar to N41.5bn profit TeamApt deploys POS network to bridge pension access gap
