About 100 women-owned businesses across the country received a major boost recently with over N200m startup capital from Flourish Africa.
The lucky winners were part of a total of 500 female entrepreneurs who graduated from Flourish Africa’s ‘Business and Life Skills recently.
Speaking at the event, Africa’s leading businesswoman and philanthropist, Apostle Folorunso Alakija said her justification for committing to women empowerment is “In line with the popular saying that when you empower a woman, you empower the whole world.”
While delivering the keynote speech at the event, the co-founder of Sahel Consulting, Mrs Ndidi Nwuneli, stated that women hold the key to transforming not only Nigeria but the entire African continent.
The panellits, including Mrs Ibukun Omololu, Principal Consultant/Lead researcher, The Teal Tree Company, Mr Albert Afolabi, Co-founder, TM30 Global Limited, and Mrs Chinwe Uzoho, Managing Director, West & Central Africa, Network International Payment Services shared various valuable business lessons while advising the women to look for problems and gaps in the society and establish businesses that provide solutions to these problems.
Also speaking at the event, the representative of Google, Flourish Africa’s technology partners, Mrs. Jola Oluremi-Makinde, lauded the founder of Flourish Africa for equipping the women with the necessary skills and resources to scale up their businesses. While Mrs. Shola Momoh, Vice-Charman, Channels Media Group, appreciated Alakija for providing such a unique platform where women could become financially independent and create a prosperous future for themselves.
Mrs. Hamsatu Aliu-Afegba, one of the beneficiaries and president of the Flourish Africa Alumnae Association, during the award ceremony, expressed her appreciation to Flourish Africa for the unique opportunity, noting that the grant would assist immensely in growing her business.
Also speaking with a cross-section of beneficiaries, including Catherine Abbah, CEO, Octopus Chubete Ltd, Abuja, Serah Kassim and Abigail Israel, they expressed delight in the lifetime opportunity the grant would offer them to scale up their businesses.
The highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of award certificates to the beneficiaries. Some of the dignitaries present during the award ceremony were Ms. Aisha Babangida, Mrs. Uju Ifejika, Mrs. Toyin Sanni, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, H.E Mrs. Sarah Adebisi Sosan, Ms. Alero Adollo, Mrs. Funmi Ogbue, Mrs. Eme Akenzua, Ms. Maureen Onigbanjo, Mrs. Kehinde Kamson, Chief Mrs. Tessa Ikimi, Hajia Abba Folawiyo, Mrs. Mavi Isibor, Lady Onyeka Onwenu, Pastor Mrs. Doreen Orakpo, Dr. Mrs. Stella Okoli, Chief Mrs. Nike Akande, Mrs. Adesua Adewole.
Flourish Africa, an initiative of Apostle Folorunso Alakija is a catalyst for the advancement of Africa. Alakija earmarked N1 billion funds to promote female-owned businesses in Africa on her 70th birthday in July 2021.