The Executive Director, CEO Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Nonye Ayeni, has said about 32 per cent of the 96 per cent the Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs) in Nigeria are women-led.
Ayeni disclosed this at the HER-SHOWCASE event, Trade Beyond Borders in partnership with the International Trade Centre (ITC) in Abuja.
She said: “This event is specifically designed to facilitate business networking, market connections, and product exhibitions for Women-led Businesses, we gather today to celebrate the extraordinary contributions of women entrepreneurs in the non-oil export sector and to explore new opportunities for growth and collaboration.
“Women play a vital role in our economy. It is therefore imperative that as a country, our SMEs are empowered to take advantage of the immense opportunities that technology and globalization presents to businesses, particularly SMEs. This of course reflects NEPC’s commitment to empowering women to transcend traditional physical boundaries and achieve global success in the world of trade.”
She added that there are so many platforms that present opportunities for women to trade beyond borders. One of such is digital trade platforms or e-commerce which she said is transformative and essential in driving sustainable economic growth and development.
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She said the NEPC recognizes the pivotal role that “women play in driving economic development and innovation therefore a significant part of our programs, initiatives and partnerships are targeted towards supporting women and women-led businesses”.
Also speaking, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole said the trade landscape is evolving, and Africa stood 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,” she said.