As lenders in Nigeria increasingly use alternative data to assess creditworthiness, the meaning of financial access for underserved segments remains contested. Despite rising formal inclusion, now estimated at 74 per cent by EFInA, about 29 million adults remain financially excluded. This contrast raises a key question: does alternative data expand financial access for grassroots women, or does it reinforce existing financial exclusion?
Alternative data is widely promoted as a breakthrough solution for financial inclusion, particularly f
