NIGERIAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS WIN BIG IN GLOBAL DIGITAL TRADE BOOST

WTO-backed WEIDE Fund empowers 146 Nigerian women with grants and training to compete in the $4.25 trillion digital trade market.

Nigeria Women entrepreneurs Digital economy Trade Women Development Business.
WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala


Nigeria has emerged as one of only four countries selected for the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, with over 146 women entrepreneurs set to receive funding and technical support to scale their businesses for global markets.

Announcing the development at the fund’s launch in Abuja on Thursday, WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the selection followed a highly competitive global process involving Jordan, Mongolia, and the Dominican Republic.

“This is about giving Nigerian women the tools, skills, and market access to multiply their gains,” Okonjo-Iweala said. “When women trade internationally, they earn almost three times more than those who sell locally.”

Over 67,000 Nigerian women applied for the programme, originally designed for 100 beneficiaries, but expanded due to the outstanding quality of entries. Sixteen “Booster Track” entrepreneurs will receive up to $30,000 each and 18 months of technical assistance, while 130 “Discovery Track” entrepreneurs will get up to $5,000 each and a year of business support.

The beneficiaries, drawn from agriculture, IT, fashion, hospitality, beauty, and manufacturing sectors, will have the opportunity to integrate into the $4.25 trillion global digital trade market, a sector where Africa’s share is still under 1 percent.

However, Okonjo-Iweala warned that Nigeria’s low internet penetration, with only 45 percent of the population online compared to the global average of 67 percent, could hinder progress if not addressed.

“No nation can truly digitize without steady electricity and reliable, affordable internet,” she stressed, calling for collaboration between the Ministries of Communications, Industry, and Power to bridge the connectivity gap.

Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, pledged his ministry’s full backing, praising women’s “empathy-driven” approach to business as a catalyst for impactful solutions.

President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dr. Dele Oye, also lauded the programme as a strategic step toward Nigeria’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy through digital trade inclusion.

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