In a landmark move for gender-inclusive entrepreneurship, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has joined forces with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women to enhance support for women-led enterprises across Nigeria’s 774 LGAs.
The partnership was sealed during a high-level ceremony hosted by Cherie Blair CBE KC, founder of the Foundation. The collaboration will leverage the Foundation’s experience and tools, such as specialised training, digital technology, and strong local partnerships—to improve access to finance, skills, and markets for women entrepreneurs.
“This partnership reflects our shared belief that empowering women economically is not optional, it is essential,” said Honourable Minister Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, emphasizing its alignment with the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions – 774, the Ministry’s flagship initiative.
According to Foundation CEO Dhivya O’Connor, nearly 150,000 women in Nigeria have already been supported by their programmes, and this partnership promises to expand that impact substantially.
Together, these initiatives mark a bold step forward for Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, particularly in addressing long-standing barriers such as financial exclusion, limited access to early-stage capital, gender disparities, and lack of tailored business support.
