EBID Advances Gender-Responsive Sustainable Financing Through Strategic Partnership with UN Women

The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has taken a major step towards issuing its first Gender Bond, following a three-day capacity-building workshop organised in partnership with UN Women in Lomé from 1 to 3 July 2026.

The workshop, the first activity under the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two institutions in January 2026, reflects a shared commitment to mobilising innovative financing solutions that advance women’s economic empowerment and sustainable development across West Africa.

The training brought together technical and operational staff from across the Bank to strengthen EBID’s capacity to structure and implement a Gender Bond in accordance with international best practices, including the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) Social Bond Principles. Participants enhanced their understanding of sustainable finance and the use of gender-responsive capital market instruments to address financing gaps affecting women and women-led enterprises.

The workshop also launched a broader technical assistance programme under which UN Women will support EBID in developing its Gender Bond Framework, strengthening governance arrangements, engaging market stakeholders, and enhancing the Bank’s access to sustainable finance markets and impact investors. The framework will enable EBID to mobilise capital for investments that promote gender equality and social inclusion, including improved access to finance for women-owned and women-led businesses, greater financial inclusion, and expanded access to essential services and infrastructure across the region.

Commenting on the initiative, the Director of Administration and General Services, Dr Francis Ezin, stated: “The development of EBID’s first Gender Bond marks an important milestone in aligning capital mobilisation with development impact. It reflects our commitment to advancing gender equality as a driver of sustainable economic growth and regional integration. Through our partnership with UN Women, we are strengthening our capacity to attract sustainable investment and channel resources towards initiatives that improve livelihoods across West Africa.”

This initiative supports EBID’s strategic objective of promoting inclusive and sustainable development while contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. It further reinforces the Bank’s leadership in sustainable finance through innovative financing instruments that generate measurable social and economic impact.