SDGs and Digital Financial Services (DFS) Entrepreneurship: Challenges and Opportunities in Africa’s Largest Economy

Abstract Greater access to financial services is a key enabler of many of the United Nations sustainable development goals (UN SDGs). This chapter examines the role of digital financial services (DFS) in the actualisation of the UN SDGs in Nigeria by presenting a series of illustrative cases of DFS-based public and private sector enterprises driving critical SDGs in Nigeria. These enterprises are not only driving economic growth, they are also enabling value chains addressing the broad-ranging needs of the poor. Tracing possibilities around impact is important here, a context in which over 60 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line. Statistics on poverty reflect not only lack of income but also the lack of access to essential services. Approximately 44 per cent of Nigeria’s adult population is financially excluded and could benefit from DFS in enabling an inclusive economy.