AWEP Hosts 2025 Annual Conference as Vice President’s Wife Advocates Women’s Economic Empowerment

The Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, has urged African women entrepreneurs to take full advantage of government intervention programmes designed to promote a more inclusive global economy.

She made the call in Abuja at the 2025 Annual Conference of the African Women Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP), themed “Together We Rise: Women’s Collective Impact.

Represented by the Director of Planning and Statistics at the Mariam Babangida Women Development Centre, Ijeoma Duru, Hajiya Nana Shettima described African women entrepreneurs as industrious and productive. She stressed the importance of empowering them effectively to drive the continent’s economic growth through the export of products and services to global markets.

She commended AWEP for its longstanding commitment to empowering African women entrepreneurs and giving them a voice through export opportunities. She also reaffirmed the Nigerian Government’s resolve to harness the potential of women entrepreneurs to boost national economic development under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

In her remarks, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, stated that the present administration remains committed to creating an enabling environment where women entrepreneurs can thrive. Represented by the Head of Fender in the Ministry, Hawa Zainab, the Minister noted that the Federal Government has initiated several programmes aimed at enhancing women’s empowerment and economic inclusion in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Zainab Marwa emphasized the importance of women supporting one another to achieve their aspirations. She encouraged women to act as destiny helpers, share opportunities, and stay positive as they work towards fulfilling their dreams.

In his presentation titled “Women’s Impact in a Developing Economy,” the President of the Nigeria Entrepreneurs Forum (NEF), Dr. Sidney Inegbedion, identified challenges confronting women entrepreneurs, including inadequate road infrastructure, insufficient potable water supply, unstable power for domestic and industrial use, and fluctuating currency values. He urged the Federal Government to tackle these deficiencies and noted that NEF would continue its advocacy, entrepreneurship training, and capacity-building efforts to expand awareness on the vast business opportunities available in Nigeria. He also pledged NEF’s continued support to AWEP.

The Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, reaffirmed the Council’s readiness to support and collaborate with AWEP to build the capacity of women entrepreneurs. She disclosed that NEPC has trained several women on export procedures under its Non-Oil Export Initiative.

Earlier, the National President of AWEP Nigeria, Dr. Grace Okaro, highlighted the achievements of the organization under her leadership. She noted that AWEP has remained committed to its vision of economically and politically empowering women to become agents of positive change and advocates for a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable society. She explained that AWEP operates across five business clusters—Agriculture/Food Processing, Fashion and Apparel, Hair and Body, Light Manufacturing, and Services—and has established its presence in all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

Highlights of the event included a panel discussion, exhibition, certificate awards to mentees, the Annual General Meeting (AGM), and other activities.