The Impact Investors Foundation (IIF) has announced the opening of nominations for the 2025 edition of its Annual Awards for Impact Investing, scheduled to hold in Lagos on November 6, 2025.
The awards, now in their seventh year, are designed to recognise individuals and organisations whose work demonstrates measurable social and environmental impact alongside sustainable business performance. The ceremony will take place at the IIF Annual Dinner during the 8th Annual Convening on Impact Investing.
In a statement, the Chief Executive Officer of IIF, Ms. Etemore Glover, said the awards have over the years spotlighted enterprises and leaders that show how capital can be deployed beyond profit. “By recognising these leaders, we aim to inspire others to embed impact into their business and investment strategies and strengthen Nigeria’s journey toward becoming a thriving impact economy,” she said.
According to IIF, past recipients have included investment firms, social enterprises and advocacy organisations working across sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, gender inclusion and financial services. In 2024, winners included Alitheia Capital Management, FAMASI Africa and the Centre for Legal Support and Inmates Rehabilitation (CELSIR).
The foundation explained that nominations for the 2025 awards are open to individuals and organisations in Nigeria and across West Africa that can demonstrate evidence of social or environmental impact. Entries are expected to show how business models or investment approaches have advanced inclusive and sustainable growth. The deadline for submissions is September 30, 2025, with full eligibility criteria available on the IIF website.
The IIF Annual Awards were introduced as part of the foundation’s broader agenda of developing an effective ecosystem for impact investing in Nigeria. Since its establishment, IIF has supported initiatives to mobilise private capital, strengthen enterprise capacity and promote research for sustainable investment.
One of its most significant achievements was the creation of the Nigerian National Advisory Board for Impact Investing, which helped secure government approval for the $1 billion Nigerian Wholesale Impact Investment Fund to finance micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. Other interventions include Deal Source Africa, credited with facilitating $1.7 million in transactions, and the Nigerian Impact Investment and Industry Research Collaborative, which supports the commercialisation of research outputs.
Through its Enterprise Support Organisation Collaborative, IIF also works with over 200 organisations to prepare businesses for investment, a measure it says contributes to national economic growth and the attainment of development goals.
The foundation maintains that the awards are an extension of these efforts, serving both as recognition for existing impact and encouragement for wider participation in sustainable investing.
The 2025 ceremony in Lagos is expected to draw representatives from business, government, civil society and international partners, continuing what has become a key annual gathering for the country’s impact investing community.
