Do Take Action Organisation (DO), in partnership with UN Women, has embarked on a mission to empower 2,500 women-led businesses across Nigeria and other West African countries through Affirmative Procurement.
The initiative, known as the Women Economic Empowerment through Affirmative Procurement (WEEAP) training program, was launched in May 2023 in Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire. Its primary goal is to address the gender gap in public procurement by enhancing access to opportunities for women-owned businesses and promoting a more inclusive economic environment.
Despite women playing a significant role in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in West Africa, they receive only a small fraction of procurement contracts. For instance, in Nigeria, women-owned businesses capture only 1% of federal and state-level procurement contracts, despite significant government spending.
To tackle this challenge, UN Women and DO are implementing a multi-pronged approach, including policy reform, institutional strengthening, capacity building, gender-responsive supply chains, government official training, and COVID-19 response efforts tailored to support Women-Owned Small and Medium Enterprises (WSMEs).
Dr. Chukwuemeka Onyimadu, Programme Specialist for Women’s Economic Empowerment at UN Women, emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships in driving positive change. He highlighted the potential of collaborative efforts to create a future where women entrepreneurs have equal opportunities to thrive and contribute to the economic development of West Africa.
Precious Ebere, CEO of Do Take Action, emphasized the program’s significance in achieving gender equality and unlocking the region’s economic potential. By equipping women-led businesses with tools and resources to compete for public contracts, the WEEAP program aims to empower women and drive economic growth in West Africa.
This collaborative initiative aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and contributes to UN Women’s strategic plan and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality. It aims to create an enabling legal and policy environment for women’s economic empowerment, fostering inclusive growth and prosperity in the region.
