ANWBN promotes digital economy with e-commerce platform

In its drive to promote and empower women entrepreneurs in Nigeria’s digital economy and prepare them to take centre stage in e-commerce, the Association of Nigerian Women Business Network (ANWBN) has launched an e-commerce platform which enables women to sell goods internationally, earn income and combat inflation.

Speaking at the ANWBN Annual Summit 2024 tagged, ‘Future-Ready Entrepreneur: Skill up to Scale up, the outgoing National Coordinator,’ Mrs Angela Ajala, emphasised the importance of digital skills, noting that the association started digital training because of the belief that women in communities and on social media often lack knowledge on utilising their phones effectively. The training, she said, is aimed at bridging that gap and unlocking new opportunities.

Yeye Otunba Gbemisola Oduntan, who emerged the National Coordinator of ANWBN at an election held after the summit, stressed that more capacity building for women would enable them to tap into e-commerce and website the association is about to set up.

Recalling that stakeholders have been asking for more empowerment for women, she advocated the training and retraining strategies, while noting that some businesses have gone under owing to their failure to scale up.

Also speaking during the two-day ANWBN 2024 summit, held in Lagos, wife of the Ogun State Governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, said the empowerment of women has long been recognised as essential to sustainable development.

She said that is why the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) place great emphasis on women’s empowerment, gender equality and poverty alleviation, saying that SDG 5 is dedicated to achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls, while SDG seeks to end poverty in all its forms.

To this end, Mrs Abiodun lamented that many women are struggling to keep up with these rapid changes.

“The digital economy, for instance, has redefined how we do business, yet many women still face barriers to accessing the internet, understanding the complexities of e-commerce, or navigating the world of online marketing,” she said.

At the opening ceremony, Mrs Ajala Angela explained that ANWBN, a premier coalition of over 75 association of Nigerian Women Business Network, was established to encourage, improve and empower sustainable entrepreneurial development among Nigerian women through research, advocacy, policy reforms and capacity building initiatives.

According to her, ANWBN is more than just an alliance of associations; it is a testament to the strength, unity, resilience and unwavering commitment of women that have dedicated their lives to shaping a brighter future. It is a testament to the power of collaboration and shared a must remember that scaling up requires more than passion, it demands knowledge, expertise and the continuous pursuit of growth.

“It requires building strong networks and forging partnerships that will enable us to transcend limitations. We must also embrace technology, innovation and adaptability, as these are no longer optional tools but essential elements of our future.”

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