The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) on Tuesday in Abuja promised to prioritise advancing the path of women in business.
The President of ACCI, Dr Al-Mujtaba Abubakar, made the declaration at a one-day workshop on successful business operational guide and regulatory compliance for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The event was organised by the ACCI Women in Business Trade Group.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN), Abubakar said that prioritising the course of women in business was crucial to the growth of the country’s economy while the workshop for entrepreneurs is of substantial interest to the leadership of ACCI.
“This is because of the high priority we give to advancing the course of women in businesses and the need to support their growth and development.
“Women are very capable of turning things around no matter how difficult.
“A report published by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, states that Africa leads the world in the number of women starting businesses, thereby making them to compete favourable with the men.
“The report further stated that in countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Zambia, female entrepreneurs outnumber the men hence, the reason for the support we give our women entrepreneurs to keep taking charge,’’ he said.
Abubakar said that women entrepreneurs’ contribution to Nigeria’s economic growth should not be undermined.
“They have contributed, in no small way, to the economic growth of Nigeria which should not be underestimated.
“Their contributions mostly are in the areas of job creation, poverty alleviation, economic growth and financial sustainability.
“Although faced with many challenges which seems discouraging from going into business, yet women are being motivated to start their own businesses and keep at it till they succeed,’’ he said.
The session, according to Abubakar, was one of the ways to help women learn skills that would enable them to access opportunities and connect with people who could help their businesses thrive.
Prior to the session, Mrs. Roseline Nwosu, ACCI Vice President for Women Development and Gender Matters, stated that it will provide the women with knowledge to help them access the resources they need to grow their enterprises.
Nwosu added that the workshop’s main goal was to give MSMEs and start-ups a venue where they could interact with seasoned business leaders, important regulatory bodies, and finance institutions.
“It will provide information on business development by sharing valuable experiences gathered over the years, regulatory compliance and other business needs such as access to finance,’’ she said.
Nwosu reaffirmed the commitment of the ACCI Women in Business Trade Group to continue with programs for educating women entrepreneurs about how to enhance their products, services, and packaging to reach international standards.
Mr. Muhammed Arabi, the managing director of the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA), stated that 60% of the agency’s efforts to promote entrepreneurship were focused on women’s entrepreneurship.
Arabi stated that the agency will support any effort that encourages the development of women entrepreneurs in a capacity that was represented by Mr. David Aruleba, Coordinator FCT One Stop Shop, AEA.
Arabi stated that the agency will support any effort that encourages the development of women entrepreneurs in a capacity that was represented by Mr. David Aruleba, Coordinator FCT One Stop Shop, AEA.
“This is because we understand the critical role women play in the economy. When you empower a woman, you empower a nation,’’ Arabi said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 178 women entrepreneurs are participated at the workshop.
