NEPC unveils 146 Nigerian women-led businesses under global initiative

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has launched the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund in Nigeria, unveiling over 146 women-led businesses in the country under Phase 1 of the global initiative.

Speaking during the launch in Abuja, the Executive Director of NEPC, Nonye Ayeni, said the journey to “this day has been nothing short of inspiring. From the launch in Abu Dhabi last year to the rigorous application, the very thorough selection process and finally, this launch.

“At every juncture, we have witnessed the resilience, doggedness and determination of these women. And these are the very qualities that make the WEIDE Fund unique.

“The WEIDE Fund is not just about grants. It is also about capacity building, training on different areas of digital trade, including access to finance, building their digital skills to enable them to play competitively in the global market. WEIDE Fund is about unlocking the immense potential of our SMEs, particularly the women who account for a significant percentage of SMEs in Nigeria.”

She explained that “the choice of women in driving digital trade stems from the fact that women are the bedrock of the family, the community and the nation at large. Like I said earlier, you will agree with me, women are resilient, dogged and determined.

“They have the spirit that never says die. And they stop at nothing until they achieve success. When you empower a woman, you empower the community and you empower the nation. Like I always say, the best man for the job is a woman.

“We are here today to light up a bulb that will illuminate the entire nation. We are here to plant a tree that will ultimately become a forest. This is not just an initiative but a movement. History is being made today, and stories will be told years after all of us are gone.

“For this, we say kudos to Her Excellency, the DG of WTO, for her visionary leadership. In addition to the numerous accolades to her name, she has truly inscribed her name in the sands of time and in our minds.

“To our beneficiaries in this room, your selection is a testament to your indefatigable spirit and the huge prospect and potential that you possess. At NEPC, the only BSO selected in Africa and one of only four selected globally.”

Ayeni further stated that, “We are proud to say that when we sent out the call for applications, we received an overwhelming 68,000 applications from across the six geopolitical regions in Nigeria, a figure that is hard to beat by any country in the world.

“This incredible response is proof of the entrepreneurial energy of Nigerian women. You have been carefully selected, and your success will be a beacon for thousands of others.

“Your Excellencies, the choice of digital trade is deliberate. As we all know, digital trade is the way to go because digital trade is transformative and is the future. It is a quicker and more seamless way to create market access and market linkages.

“Thus, we recognise that for women to truly succeed in today’s global marketplace, they must be equipped to navigate and leverage digital tools and platforms. Therefore, by focusing on digital trade, WEIDE Fund is ensuring that these women are prepared to lead in the economy of tomorrow.

“As we empower women entrepreneurs to embrace digital trade, we must not overlook the enormous potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The AfCFTA is a game-changer, creating a single market of 1.3 billion people across 54 countries with a combined GDP of \$3.4 trillion,” she stated.

The ED noted that NEPC, as the apex agency for the development and promotion of non-oil export in Nigeria, remains committed to fulfilling its mandate, “working with our parent ministry, FMITI, and various stakeholders and in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda for job creation and poverty alleviation. It is in realisation of this that we continue to work with women across the six geopolitical zones, building their capacity in various areas.

“Permit me to use this opportunity to talk about the Export Skill Acquisition Centre (ESAC), where we teach women and youth the art of making bags, clothes and other fashion accessories for the purpose of export.

“This initiative, run in partnership with Lelook Bag Academy, targets key export markets, particularly AfCFTA. Our goal is to create jobs for our women and to make this centre a hub for export to neighbouring countries and across the African continent.

“We also have various other initiatives, working with relevant stakeholders, including the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, to mainstream informal trade, a sector particularly dominated by women.

“NEPC, as the implementing agency in Nigeria working with WTO and ITC, remains committed and determined to ensure that we make a great success of this noble initiative beyond the launch. We will support these women through their journey under the WEIDE Fund initiative. We look forward to seeing these selected women succeed and play actively and competitively in the international market.

“On this note, we thank the International Trade Centre and World Trade Organization for choosing Nigeria as the only country in Africa and for the trust and confidence reposed in the Nigerian Export Promotion Council to implement Phase One of the initiative.

“To our beneficiaries, the future is yours. Dream big. Real big. Use this opportunity to grow your businesses, create jobs, and become powerful ambassadors for Nigerian enterprise. Go forth, be unstoppable, let the fire in the belly continue to burn. And as women, remember, nothing dies in our hands,” Ayeni charged them.

This is one of the many efforts of NEPC to improve the country’s non-oil export as well as empower businesses.

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