Igniting Indigenous led investment means moving beyond negotiated access to land and toward genuine ownership and control. With around 70% of Australia’s land mass now part of the Indigenous estate and an estimated $37.4 billion in potential investment on Indigenous land over the next five years, the scale of opportunity is unprecedented. Yet traditional mechanisms like Indigenous Land Use Agreements have rarely delivered true self determination. IBA’s experience - built over decades and reflected in a $2.4 billion portfolio - shows that when First Nations people lead economic activity, the benefits are stronger, more sustainable, and aligned with community priorities.

Indigenous equity is the model that makes this possible. By becoming proponents and co-investors, First Nations communities gain direct influence over projects, ensure cultural and community returns are central, and generate intergenerational wealth. This approach already underpins IBA’s Direct Investments program and partnerships such as the IBA - Larrakia Development Corporation - Aboriginal Investment NT agreement, demonstrate how strong Indigenous balance sheets can be activated to drive development on Country. There is over $4.8 billion in equity within Indigenous organisations that could be activated to support local economic development. And that is before we bring in non-Indigenous equity partners and investors into the Indigenous estate. Economic activity on Indigenous land will continue to grow; the task now is ensuring it is done the right way - through Indigenous equity that puts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people firmly in control of their economic, social, and cultural future.