Nigerian Capital Development Fund

The Nigerian Capital Development Fund (NCDF) is an organization dedicated to impact investing and promoting economic development in Nigeria. Established with the aim of fostering a resilient entrepreneurial ecosystem, NCDF provides essential support, capital, and resources to entrepreneurs, start-ups, and early-stage businesses. The organization's efforts are focused on facilitating job creation, product development, market expansion, and overall economic growth within the country.

In alignment with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), NCDF engages in initiatives aimed at poverty reduction, education improvement, and the enhancement of access to clean water, sanitation, and clean energy. Additionally, NCDF works towards ensuring gender equality and economic equity across Nigeria. The organization's projects span various sectors of the Nigerian economy, including housing, capacity development, agriculture, finance, environmental sustainability, and hospitality.

Mission

NCDF’s mission is to improve the accessibility and efficiency of business finance and equity investment markets for young entrepreneurs, start-ups, and early-stage enterprises. The organization aims to create a more inclusive financial landscape, supporting the growth of innovative ideas that contribute to Nigeria's economic development.

History

Following extensive studies on the need to support the Nigerian government in achieving sustainable developmental objectives, NCDF was endorsed in 2009 by the former President of Nigeria, Late Alhaji Umaru Shehu Musa Yar'Adua (deceased) and was incorporated in 2010 as a Limited by Guarantee entity under the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Yar'Adua believed that the access to affordable basic social needs by low income earners and grassroot communities is the key opportunity to unlocking poverty in the Nigerian society. In 2011, Nigerian Capital Development Fund commissioned a corporation-NCDF Investment Limited, licensed by the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission as the Fund Manager for Nigerian Capital Development Fund.

Focus Areas

NCDF's investment strategy focuses on sectors with significant potential for social impact:

Financial Inclusion: The organization supports start-ups that aim to improve access to financial services for underserved populations, with the goal of fostering economic empowerment and inclusion.
Energy and Climate: NCDF invests in initiatives that seek to transform the energy sector, emphasizing the transition to a low-carbon economy and the prevention of environmental degradation.
Technology: The organization promotes innovation by investing in technology start-ups that contribute to both economic growth and societal progress.
Sustainable Food and Agriculture: NCDF supports the shift towards a sustainable food and agriculture system, focusing on ensuring healthy food availability and fair compensation for farmers.
Sustainable Affordable Housing: The organization invests in projects aimed at providing sustainable and affordable housing, contributing to environmental sustainability and economic stability within communities.
Impact Equities and Bonds: NCDF is involved in the development of impact equities and bonds that aim to achieve positive social and environmental outcomes while delivering competitive financial returns.

Collaboration with Government

NCDF collaborates with the Nigerian government to support start-ups and early-stage businesses, addressing significant social issues and promoting economic growth. This partnership helps in creating policies and investing in ventures that have a tangible impact.

Policy Development: NCDF works with the central government to develop policies that support the start-up ecosystem, fostering an environment conducive to entrepreneurial growth.
Building Networks: The organization establishes relationships with key decision-makers and forms long-term partnerships within the investment sector, thereby enhancing its influence in government-related initiatives.

The partners and supporters of NCDF include the Federal Government of Nigeria, World Bank, The Central Bank of Nigeria, NERFUND, African Housing Group, National Directorate of Employment, First Bank, Commonwealth Telecommunication Organization (United Kingdom), Copernicus International Consulting (United Kingdom), Governments of Lagos State, Cross River State, Benue State, Imo State, Niger State, Jigawa State and the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, Nigeria.

Addressing the Funding Gap

NCDF targets high-potential start-ups and early-stage enterprises that frequently face significant funding challenges. The organization provides venture capital tailored to these enterprises' needs during critical growth stages, enabling them to overcome financial barriers and scale their operations effectively.

Investment Strategy

NCDF's investment approach is structured to support businesses at various stages of their development:

Launch Phase: NCDF provides seed funding to start-ups to help them turn innovative ideas into viable businesses.
Expansion Phase: The organization offers growth capital to help businesses scale, enabling them to reach larger markets and increase their overall impact.
Product Development: NCDF funds the creation of new products and services that meet market demands and contribute to business growth.
Market Entry: The organization assists enterprises in entering new markets, supporting their expansion and long-term sustainability.

Commitment to Growth and Success

NCDF is committed to fostering the growth and success of start-ups and early-stage businesses. By contributing to job creation, economic development, and capacity building, NCDF aims to support entrepreneurs in achieving their business objectives. In addition to financial investments, the organization offers mentorship and resources to help entrepreneurs develop their skills and succeed in their ventures.

Impact Strategy

NCDF’s impact strategy emphasizes supporting growth and innovation while promoting ethical and sustainable practices. The organization aims to ensure that its investments lead to positive social and economic outcomes, including job creation and local economic development.

Ethical Investing: NCDF focuses on investing in enterprises that adhere to ethical practices and sustainability, aiming to create long-term positive impacts on society and the environment.
Fair Compensation: The organization advocates for fair compensation for all stakeholders, including fair wages for workers and equitable returns for investors.

Opportunities for Investors

NCDF attracts investments from private investors, institutional investors, and capital markets to increase the availability of venture capital for promising businesses in Nigeria. The organization presents several key reasons to consider investing with NCDF:

High-Potential Market: Nigeria's expanding economy offers numerous opportunities for growth and innovation, particularly in the start-up and early-stage business sectors.
Untapped Potential: Many high-potential enterprises in Nigeria are underserved by traditional financial institutions, presenting unique investment opportunities.

Innovation for Universities

The NCDF’s Innovation for Universities program aims to transform universities into centers of entrepreneurial excellence by nurturing the next generation of innovators. The program provides targeted support to university leaders, helping them foster an environment conducive to the emergence of future global enterprises.

University Pitch Sessions: The program allows start-ups from universities to present their ideas to NCDF’s network of venture capitalists.
Culture of Innovation: NCDF supports on-campus accelerators and partnerships to inspire innovation among students and faculty.
Career Growth: The program connects students with global opportunities through internships and career fairs.
Industry Connections: Universities participating in the program gain access to NCDF’s extensive network of industry leaders and government partners.

NCDF’s commitment to fostering innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development positions it as a key player in Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through its strategic investments and partnerships, the organization aims to create lasting positive impacts on the country’s economy and society.

NCDF Projects

Past and current projects by NCDF include:

Affordable Housing

The NCDF affordable housing initiative was formed by NCDF entering into a partnership with the Nigerian government and some of its development partners to construct and deliver good quality, low-cost housing to communities with the greatest need. As part of its affordable housing provision scheme, NCDF also partners with the African Housing Group, a UK based company with a mission to provide homes to millions of Africans in the Diaspora. Some of the countries currently benefitting from the NCDF- AHG partnership are Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Angola, Tanzania and Uganda.

Kuje Housing Project (2012)

In September, 2012, NCDF and The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Housing signed a Public-Private Partnership Agreement to provide affordable Social Housing for Nigerians at the Federal Housing Estate, Kuje, Nigeria. Following project completion in 2016, the Kuje housing project resulted in the delivery of 50 units of 3 and 2 bedroom bungalows, reducing construction cost by 50%.

FCT-VIO Housing (2012)

In 2012, NCDF delivered 3 units of a 3-Storey multi-family building containing 24 units of 2 and 3-bedroom apartments in Abuja.

Imo State (2013)

In February, 2013, Imo State Government entered into partnership with NCDF to provide affordable social housing for its indigenes. The state allocated 30 hectares of land to NCDF to develop 3000 units of low income housing estate.

Benue State (2013)

In May, 2013, the Benue State Government of Nigeria entered into a Public Private Partnership Agreement with NCDF to develop affordable housing estates. 100 hectares of land was donated by the state for construction of 1,000 units of homes.

Lagos State (2016)

In 2016 NCDF formed a synergistic partnership with Lagos State Government to develop, construct and deliver 2,000 units of standard housing in Lagos State.

Education and Capacity Development

Using its Subsidiary, the Social Enterprise Academy, NCDF engages in training and retraining of social enterprise professionals and community leaders in specialized programmes needed to foster grass-root development. With the social innovation lab, NCDF provides free research oriented journals to members of the Academy's Social Enterprise Club.

MSME Finance

Due to MSMEs being one of the major drivers of growth in developing economies, NCDF devotes some of its resources to the provision of government subsidized loans, grant and specialized business equipment to micro, small and medium scaled enterprises in Nigeria. Under this scheme, a Special Purpose Vehicle called “Scoenterprise” was launched to provide Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) to sponsored businesses, partners and clients allowing for increased investment in the MSME sector.

In 2012, the Minister of Women's affairs and social development, Hajiya Zainab Maina signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Capital Development Fund, for the take-off of a Seven (7) Billion Naira National Grassroot Economic Empowerment Scheme, as part of the effort to reduce poverty and unemployment in the country, especially for women living in rural communities.

Enterprise Project Development & Impact Investing

NCDF bridges community project consulting gaps through the fostering of technical, economic, financial, institutional, management, environmental, socio-cultural and gender-related models amongst community stakeholders to achieve bankability. The implementation aspect of NCDF's project development tagged “Impact Investing” is further conducted by seeking out direct investments from its partners, modelled to yield high social, environmental and financial rewards. Stakeholders under this initiative include the Federal and State Governments of Nigeria, The Private Sector, Donor Agencies, Non-profit Organizations, Financial institutions geared towards economic development, multinational corporations, cooperative societies and the Nigerian Public.

NCDF AgroPark Initiative

The NCDF AgroPark initiative is a project designed to provide lasting solutions to the problems of food shortage, poverty, low productivity, inadequate processing infrastructure, diversification and poorly integrated markets in Nigeria, aggravated by an under-developed agro-industrial sector. This project comes with a high potential for value added and employment opportunities in the agricultural sector. The AgroPark initiative works with development partners particularly World Bank and the Federal Government of Nigeria in line with the Commercial Agriculture Development Project.

Connecting Farmers Initiative

This NCDF project aims at improving the efficiency of agricultural businesses to aid the multiplier economic effects of increased food, national income and access to improved technology. The services offered under this initiative, aided by the Nigerian telecommunications sector, range from access up-to-date mobile information on agricultural practices, weather forecasts, market prices, as well as solutions that help agricultural businesses boost production. In a nutshell, the main objectives of this initiative is to:

• Help rural farmers develop new skills and grow revenue using technology.

• Provide specialized market information to farmers.

• Grant farmers access without limit to improved agricultural production methods.

• Assist many rural households in enhancing their food security and raising their incomes.

• Promote home-grown methods in agricultural innovation.

Clean Stove Initiative & Natural Gas Distribution Project

An ongoing project by NCDF in partnership with the Nigerian Ministry of Environment designed to systematically and practically proffer lasting solutions to the global issue of climate change in Nigeria through the provision and accessibility of clean stoves and natural gas at a subsidized rate for the low income families in the societies. However, the project is directed towards achieving great reduction in the environmental temperature, Green-House Gases (GHG) for improved livelihoods, health benefits and realization of the UNDP 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Oduduwa Heritage Tourism Development Project

A tourism initiative under the Nigerian Hospitality and Tourism sector, the Oduduwa Heritage Development Project is a cultural orientation scheme focused on disseminating information on the history, tradition and customs of the Yoruba people.

External links

References

The Environmental Impact of China's Investment in Africa, Vol 49, CORNELL INT'L L.J. 25 (2016), Shinn
The Landscape of Social Impact Investment Research: Trends and Opportunities, 2016, Daggers & Nicholls
Ngoasong, Michael; Paton, Rob and Korda, Alex (2015). Impact Investing and Inclusive Business Development in Africa: A research agenda. The Open University, Milton Keynes.
Clean Stove and Natural Gas Distribution Project for the Low Income Families with Employment Opportunities for Micro-Entrepreneurs, 2016, Adegoke
Poverty Eradication, Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development in Nigeria, Vol. 3, No. 4, (2010)- Anger Ph.D
THE STRUGGLE FOR SUSTAINABLE HOUSING IN ZIMBABWEAN GROWTH POINTS: A CASE STUDY OF ZAKA-JERERA GROWTH POINT IN SOUTHEASTERN ZIMBABWE, Volume 14, No.7, 2012, ISSN 1520-5509, Mawere et al.