FG Partners ITC To Grow Women Businesses In Nigeria

The federal government is collaborating with the International Trade Centre to grow women’s businesses in Nigeria through training, access to resources and exposure to the international market.

Speaking at Women-Led Businesses, an event hosted by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and funded under the UK government’s ‘She Trades’ Commonwealth Programme, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, commended the role women are playing in the country’s economic growth.

“I am delighted to be with you at The Women in Export Development Programme, ‘Her Showcase,’ a platform dedicated to empowering women-led businesses and expanding their reach beyond borders.

“I also would like to commend the visionary organisers of this summit for creating a platform that champions these crucial conversations and celebrates women’s crucial role, to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), who provide support for 3600 female exporters and the International Trade Centre (ITC) for their commitment to providing access to resources and networks with 18 SheTrades hubs.”

She said the trade landscape is evolving, and Africa stands at the forefront of a significant transformation.

“I am pleased that the dialogue on gender and trade transition has shifted from women getting a seat at the table to acknowledging us as key agents of change in the sector, acting as consumers, producers, distributors, and decision-makers across the value chain.

“I am excited about the possibilities that the ‘SheTrades’ Hub in Nigeria offers. So far, 8,000 women entrepreneurs have participated in its programs,” she added.

The Executive Director of NEPC, Nonye Ayeni, said the event is specifically designed to facilitate business networking, market connections, and product exhibitions for women-led businesses under the theme “Trade Beyond Borders.”

She said, “Today, we gather to celebrate the extraordinary contributions of women entrepreneurs in the non-oil export sector and to explore new opportunities for growth and collaboration.

“According to a PwC 2024 report, SMEs makeup about 96 per cent of businesses in Nigeria and about 32 per cent of these are women-led. We see that women play a vital role in our economy.”

On her part, the Executive Director of ITC, Pemela Coke-Hamilton, represented by the Senior Advisor, ITC She Trades Hub in West Africa, Fatou Mbenga Jallow, said women’s economic empowerment is critical to achieving gender equality and in keeping with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

In her address, the Acting British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Oliver, said the UK government is very proud to support and work with ITC and NEPC.

“We have been doing that since 2018, funding and supporting crucial interventions of women’s economic empowerment in Nigeria.

“Women play a significant role in trade across the world, especially in Africa. They produce our food, provide services in important sectors like education and and health, and they carry goods on their backs across borders through the She Trades hub in Nigeria,” she stated.

FG Partners ITC To Grow Women Businesses In Nigeria is first published on The Whistler Newspaper