Enhancing Financial Inclusion and Advancement (EFInA), a financial sector market catalyst, says it is set to unveil the findings of its 2026 Access to Financial Services in Nigeria (A2F) Survey.
The organisation disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.
The organisation said the ninth edition of the biennial survey, scheduled for Sept. 16 in Abuja, is expected to offer new insights into how Nigerians access and use financial services.
“The A2F Survey, conducted since 2008, is Nigeria’s comprehensive demand-side data source on financial inclusion, tracking how Nigerians use formal and informal financial services to meet daily needs, prepare for emergencies, protect their future and cope with economic shocks.
“The 2026 edition follows previous surveys conducted in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2023, providing more than 17 years of longitudinal data on financial inclusion in the country,” it said.
According to EFInA, the survey provides both financial and non-financial data that have been used by financial service providers, development organisations, policymakers and regulators.
It said institutions such as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and National Pension Commission (PenCom) had leveraged the data in formulating policies and regulations.
Foyinsolami Akinjayeju, Chief Executive Officer of EFInA, described demand-side evidence from the survey as “national economic infrastructure”.
“Nine rounds have given Nigeria a continuous record of how households behave through reform, shock and recovery.
“This round goes further by examining what inclusion is delivering economically, and I expect regulators, providers and partners to hold their own targets against what it shows,” she said.
Dr Oluwatomi Eromosele, EFInA’s Research Lead, said the new areas of focus were introduced to address questions that previous editions could not fully answer.
“Previous rounds told us a great deal about who had access to financial services and what they were using.
“In 2026, we deliberately went further to understand whether that access is translating into greater resilience, economic participation and improved financial outcomes for Nigerians,” she said.
Eromosele said the survey would examine not only what financial services Nigerians use but also how effectively the services work for them and where vulnerabilities persist.
She said the findings would provide policymakers and financial service providers with stronger evidence to determine areas requiring intervention.
EFInA said the 2026 survey had been strengthened to deepen understanding of the relationship between financial and economic inclusion, particularly among Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), agricultural workers and informal sector operators.
It noted that the survey would provide more robust tracking of financial health, fraud prevention, climate change and resilience, as well as trust in financial services.
The organisation said the 2026 edition would also provide, for the second time, state-level data with representative findings to support more granular analysis, policy design, resource allocation and programme targeting.
EFInA said the 2026 survey and its dissemination were supported by the Gates Foundation, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program (GEF SGP).
Others are Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), Moniepoint and Stanbic IBTC.
It said the national launch, with the theme, “Access. Opportunity. Growth: Advancing Financial and Economic Inclusion for All Nigerians”, will bring together senior government officials, regulators, development partners and other stakeholders.
The programme will begin with a breakfast session featuring discussions on climate and agriculture, women’s economic empowerment, as well as financial resilience and vulnerability.
This will be followed by the formal launch, including a presentation of the survey findings and unveiling of the A2F 2026 final report.
EFInA also said that an industry engagement would be held on Sept. 25 in Lagos for financial service providers, investors and industry associations.
The session will focus on market insights and consumer behaviour trends to help industry players identify opportunities for developing better financial products and services.
The organisation said the survey findings would serve as an evidence base for stakeholders making decisions on financial inclusion programmes, product development and market interventions over the next two years. (NAN)
