NEPC secures N979.8m grants for 128 women exporters
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council has facilitated the disbursement of $710,000 (about N979.8m) in grants to 128 women-owned export-oriented Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, strengthening efforts to boost non-oil exports and expand the participation of Nigerian women in international digital trade.
The grants were awarded under the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy Fund, a global initiative designed to help women entrepreneurs adopt digital technologies, improve their export competitiveness and access international markets.
The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NEPC, Nonye Ayeni, disclosed this during a town hall meeting with exporters, according to a statement issued on Thursday by the council’s Deputy Director and Head of Corporate Communications, Aliu Seidu Sadiq.
Ayeni said 121 women-owned businesses received Discovery Grants of $5,000 each, while seven enterprises were awarded Booster Grants of $15,000 each, bringing the total amount disbursed to $710,000, equivalent to N979.8m.
She said the achievement followed Nigeria’s selection as one of only four countries worldwide to benefit from the pilot phase of the initiative.
She stated, “The implementation of trade facilitation reforms and game-changing projects in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration made the Council stand out among over 600 Business Support Organisations that applied to serve as the Business Support Organisation for the WEIDE Fund from the African continent.
“Nigeria was subsequently selected as one of only four beneficiary countries globally alongside the Dominican Republic, Jordan and Mongolia in recognition of its vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, strong export potential and commitment to advancing women’s participation in international trade.”
Ayeni said the overwhelming response from Nigerian women entrepreneurs reflected their readiness to compete in global markets.
She stated, “The scale of interest in the WEIDE Fund underscores the immense potential of Nigeria’s female entrepreneurs. The WEIDE Secretariat in Geneva received an overwhelming 67,000 applications from Nigerian women-owned export businesses facilitated by the NEPC, spanning diverse sectors of the economy.
“The overwhelming response, which is the highest among the four beneficiary countries, is a clear testament to the immense potential of Nigerian women entrepreneurs and their readiness to take on global markets.”
According to the NEPC boss, after a rigorous multi-stage screening process based on transparency and merit, the successful beneficiaries emerged from thousands of applications.
The beneficiaries operate across a wide range of non-oil export sectors, including agro-processing, food and beverages, textiles and fashion, cosmetics, manufacturing, creative industries and other value-added export businesses.
Beyond the financial grants, Ayeni said the beneficiaries also participated in intensive capacity-building programmes held in Lagos and Abuja to strengthen their competitiveness in international trade.
She explained that the training covered export readiness, digital trade, e-commerce, branding and marketing, business planning, financial management, market access strategies, sustainability and the effective use of digital platforms to expand export sales.
She said, “This integrated approach ensures that the grants serve not only as financial assistance but also as a catalyst for long-term business growth, increased export competitiveness, job creation and sustainable participation in regional and global trade.”
The WEIDE Fund is a joint initiative of the International Trade Centre and the World Trade Organization, with financial support from the United Arab Emirates, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Legacy Fund and the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The $50m global fund was established to bridge the digital financing gap facing women-led MSMEs by providing access to finance, business development support, digital skills and international market opportunities.
The initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises non-oil exports, economic diversification, inclusive growth and women’s economic empowerment.
The NEPC said it would continue collaborating with local and international partners to create more opportunities for women-owned businesses, enabling them to access new export markets, build resilient enterprises and contribute more significantly to Nigeria’s non-oil export growth.