EFInA, LBS partner to deliver data-driven policymaking course to advance financial inclusion

Enhancing Financial Inclusion and Advancement (EFInA) has launched a new capacity-building programme aimed at strengthening the ability of policymakers and financial sector stakeholders to use data in shaping inclusive financial policies.

The course, titled “Leveraging Financial Inclusion Data for Policymaking,” is designed to equip policymakers, regulators, and financial inclusion practitioners with practical skills to interpret and apply financial inclusion data in developing more effective and evidence-based policies.

The initiative comes at a time when data-driven decision-making is increasingly seen as critical to advancing financial inclusion efforts both globally and in Nigeria. Regulators and industry stakeholders are under growing pressure to ensure that policies are not only inclusive but also targeted, measurable, and responsive to the needs of underserved populations.

To deliver the programme, EFInA partnered with the Sustainable and Inclusive Digital Financial Services (SIDFS) initiative of Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, combining academic expertise with practical industry insights to strengthen institutional capacity within Nigeria’s financial ecosystem.

According to EFInA, the course integrates practical learning modules, real-world datasets, and structured policy design exercises to help professionals responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating financial inclusion strategies.

By bridging the gap between data availability and utilisation, the programme aims to enable policymakers to move beyond descriptive statistics and develop actionable insights capable of influencing policy direction and programme effectiveness.

Participants will work with widely recognised datasets such as the Global Findex and Nigeria’s Access to Financial Services (A2F) Survey, gaining hands-on experience in analysing financial inclusion indicators, identifying underserved populations, and translating data insights into policy responses.

The timing of the programme is also strategic, coming ahead of the expected release of findings from the A2F 2026 Survey, which will provide updated insights into Nigeria’s financial inclusion landscape.

EFInA said the training will help stakeholders better interpret emerging evidence from the survey and integrate the findings into financial sector policies and programmes.

“Financial inclusion data is only as powerful as our ability to act on it,” said Oluwatomi Eromosele, research lead at EFInA.

“This course was built to close the gap between the wealth of information we already have and the policy decisions that must follow from it,” she said.

Beyond data analysis, participants will also gain access to a range of practical tools and resources to support policymaking and programme evaluation. These include templates for policy formulation, frameworks for assessing policy impact, and structured toolkits designed for institutional use.

EFInA noted that embedding these resources within the training programme is intended to ensure that the learning outcomes extend beyond the classroom and translate into sustained capacity development within participating organisations.

The programme also underscores the growing importance of collaboration between academic institutions and policy practitioners in addressing development challenges.

Nkemdilim Iheanachor, co-lead of the SIDFS initiative at Lagos Business School, said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the analytical and strategic capabilities required for modern policymaking.

“At Lagos Business School, we believe that sustainable development is anchored in informed leadership.”

“Strategic policymaking in a digital age demands high-level data literacy. By partnering with EFInA, we will strengthen the institutional capacity of our financial ecosystem and empower policymakers to transform data into inclusive growth and economic opportunities for every Nigerian,” Iheanachor added.