Comercio Partners launches over N100m fund for women founders
What's the deal? Nigeria's Comercio PartnersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has launched a fund of more than N100 million to back women entrepreneurs, unveiled at the firm's 10th anniversary in Lagos. The initiative, called SOW (Supporting Our Women), will provide equity funding, grants, mentorship, and business networks.
Who's behind it? Co-founder Steve Osho disclosed the launch alongside the new Comercio Partners Foundation. He framed SOW not as philanthropy but as a commercial bet: "This is not charity. This is a business decision."
Why now? Osho pointed to a stark funding gap. Of the $289 billion invested in global venture capital in 2024, female-only founding teams received just 2.3%. In Nigeria, the financing gap for women-owned businesses exceeds $42 billion.
What's the endgame? Chairman Ronke Sokefun cast the next decade as one of institution-building with reach across the continent. "The first decade was about building a firm," she said. "The next decade must be about building an institution whose influence outlives all of us and whose impact extends across Africa."
The signal: Comercio's move ties capital to a persistent gap that global venture has largely left unaddressed. By pairing each naira with mentorship and networks — resources Osho said have "always been available to some founders and not others" — the firm is treating women-led businesses as an investment opportunity rather than a cause.
Read more: BusinessDay
