Activating Gender-Disaggregated Data for Impact Design Sprint

Be a Part of Shaping the Future of Gender-Disaggregated Data in Nigeria’s Financial Sector

Sign up to participate in a Gender-Disaggregated Data Policy Sprint organized by the Alliance for Innovative Regulation and the Central Bank of Nigeria

Join the Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR) and the Central Bank of Nigeria for a three-day collaborative Design Sprint to develop practical solutions that turn gender data into better policy, products, and financial inclusion outcomes.

Our Program

AIR’s Gender-Disaggregated Data (GDD) for Inclusive Regulation Program supports financial sector regulators to strengthen how gender-disaggregated data is collected, analysed, and applied in supervision and policymaking. By positioning data as both a diagnostic and an accountability tool, the program supports more adaptive, inclusive regulation.

The program combines research, collaboration and design sprints to:

Map current gender-disaggregated data practices and gaps
Engage regulators and ecosystem experts
Co-design practical tools, dashboards, and use cases
Advance solutions toward real-world implementation and potential digital public infrastructure opportunities

Design Sprint: Activating Gender-Disaggregated Data for Impact

The Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR), in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is convening a three-day Design Sprint focused on accelerating the adoption and practical use of GDD by translating insights into actionable tools, incentives, and approaches for financial service providers and regulators.

The Sprint will bring together regulators, financial service providers, development finance institutions, ecosystem partners, and innovation experts to collaboratively design practical solutions that translate gender data into actionable insights, tools, incentives, and measurable outcomes.

Sprint Overview

The AIR and CBN Activating Gender-Disaggregated Data for Impact Sprint is a highly collaborative, in-person Sprint designed to move beyond data collection and reporting toward the practical activation and use of gender-disaggregated data across the financial ecosystem.

Participants will work in cross-functional and cross-organisational teams to explore challenges and opportunities related to the adoption and practical use of gender-disaggregated data in Nigeria, and co-create solutions that support better decision-making, product innovation, customer segmentation, and financial inclusion outcomes across the financial ecosystem.

The Sprint will focus on the three following problem statements:

How might we help users identify underserved female segments and unmet market opportunities?

How might we encourage the active use of gender-disaggregated data (GDD) as actionable market intelligence for strategic decision-making targeted at women, including policy and product design?

How might we measure how GDD insights are efficiently used and applied in practice?

Date & Location

Dates: 22, 23 and 24 September 2026
Location: Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria
Format: In-person Sprint
Time commitment: Full participation across all three days is expected.

Who Should Participate?

The Sprint is designed for participants from across the Nigerian financial ecosystem who are involved in data, strategy, policy, innovation, product development, supervision, financial inclusion, or decision-making. We welcome applications from:

• Regulators and policymakers
• Commercial banks and financial service providers
• Microfinance institutions
• Development finance institutions
• MSME support organisations

• Financial inclusion and gender experts
• Data, analytics, and digital systems specialists
• Product, innovation, and strategy teams
• Ecosystem and industry partners

You do not need to be an expert in gender-disaggregated data. We are looking for diverse perspectives across policy, data, product, innovation and financial services.

Why Participate?

Participants will have the opportunity to:

Collaborate with senior leaders from across Nigeria’s financial ecosystem
Help shape practical tools and approaches for using gender-disaggregated data
Build relationships across regulators, banks, fintechs and development partners
Influence future policy and industry practice
Leave with actionable ideas that can be applied within their organisations

Selected concepts may be further developed through AIR’s broader GDD Program, creating opportunities for continued collaboration and implementation.

How Can You Participate?

Sprint Participants

Individuals may apply either in their own capacity or as representatives of their organisation. Selected participants will be assigned to multidisciplinary teams bringing together diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and areas of expertise. Teams will collaborate throughout the Sprint to develop practical solutions and present their final concepts at the end of the Sprint (Demo Day).

Ecosystem Partners and Contributors

Organisations interested in contributing expertise, case studies, technical inputs, mentorship, or ecosystem perspectives are encouraged to get in touch by completing expression of interest form.

Apply to Participate

To apply, please complete the following application form on the platform. Please note that you will be required to create an account on the platform to apply.

More information can be found in the Sprint participation pack.

Apply

FAQs

Yes. Participation in the AIR Design Sprint is completely free for all selected participants.

Unfortunately, AIR is not able to provide travel or accommodation subsidies for participants. Attendees are responsible for arranging and covering their own travel and related expenses.

No. The Design Sprint is built on collaboration and welcomes participants with a wide range of backgrounds and expertise. We encourage applications from professionals across policy, regulation, data and analytics, product development, innovation, financial services, academia, and civil society. You do not need prior experience with gender-disaggregated data to participate.

Applications will be reviewed after the submission deadline. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by 31 August 2026. Successful applicants will then receive additional information about the Sprint, including logistics, the agenda, and preparations for the event taking place 22–24 September 2026 in Lagos.

Ecosystem Collaboration

AIR thanks our GDD Program Global Advisory Group members for helping inform the design of this Sprint and for their overall engagement with the program:

• CGAP
• Consumer CentriX
• Financial Alliance for Women
• Gates Foundation

• SME Finance Forum
• UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
• Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi)
• Women’s World Banking

INITIATIVE • Gender-Disaggregated Data for Inclusive Regulation

This program supports regulators to strengthen how gender-disaggregated data is collected, analyzed, and applied in supervision and policymaking. By positioning data as both a diagnostic and an accountability tool, the program supports more adaptive, inclusive regulation.

BLOG • Going Further, Together: Collaborating to Strengthen Gender-Disaggregated Data

This blog outlines collaborative work, challenges in data use, and the multi-country effort to better collect, analyze, and apply GDD for meaningful policy impact.

PODCAST • Seeing the Gaps: Gender Data and the Future of Inclusive Finance

Wendy Teleki and Tatiana Alonso join Jo Ann to explore why gender-disaggregated data is essential to inclusive finance, smarter supervision, and unlocking capital for women entrepreneurs worldwide.