Kwara govt trains market women in digital literacy

Kwara State Government, in collaboration with tech experts, has launched an initiative designed to empower market women in the state through the power of technology.

Speaking at the official launch of Tech4MarketWomen and stakeholders’ meeting in Ilorin on Wednesday, the Deputy Governor of Kwara, Mr Kayode Alabi, said that the initiative aimed to support women working in the informal sector through digital and financial literacy training, with the support of the state government.

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“Women play a critical role in informal trade, microscale agriculture, and agro-processing, but they often lack the financial knowledge and tools to grow. With Tech4MarketWomen, we are equipping them with skills in budgeting, record-keeping, and sales tracking, so they can meet the requirements of financial institutions and gain access to loans and grants,” he said.

Alabi, who commended the TA Community for the initiative, described the initiative as a transformative step toward building a more inclusive economy.

“This initiative is designed to uplift and empower our market women, who form the backbone of our local economy. The Kwara State Government is fully committed to ensuring the programme grows and succeeds. I urge all beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunities being offered”, he said.

Representing the state commissioner for Business Innovation and Technology, Damilola Yusuf Adelodun, Mrs. Salaudeen A., in her keynote speech, described the project as more than just a programme, but a necessity.

“Today is not just a celebration of a new initiative. It’s a commitment to empower and open new doors for women in petty trading and small-scale enterprise through the power of technology”, she said.

Also speaking at the event, Director of Finance at the Ministry of Women Affairs, Alhaji Abdul Rasheed Badawaki, who represented the Finance commissioner, Opeyemi Afolashade, praised the programme’s focus on economic empowerment.

“Empowering women is empowering generations”, he said. “When you empower a woman economically, you transform families, communities, and indeed, the nation”.

The programme, according to organisers, is structured in three phases — starting with awareness campaigns and training sessions, followed by a mentorship phase, and concluding with the deployment of the SheBalance mobile app to help market women access financial services and integrate into the formal financial system.

Director of Programmes at the TA Community, Tunmise Johnson, said the initiative is designed to bridge long-standing gaps in financial access and literacy among women in the informal sector.

Citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics, she noted that over 90 per cent of Nigeria’s workforce is engaged in informal work, and more than 70 per cent of these are women, yet many remain financially excluded.

Johnson explained that the initiative includes training for selected market women, mentorship support, and the launch of a user-friendly mobile app — SheBalance — to help them track their savings, expenses, and daily sales.