[ad_1]
Jonathan Eze
Founder and Chairperson of Women in Management (WIM), Dr. Sulochana Segera, and Chairperson of Women in Management Africa (WIMAFRICA), Dr. Ngozi Oyewole, have known as for higher financial alternatives, international recognition and elevated participation of Nigerian and African ladies in commerce, funding, entrepreneurship and management.
The duo made the decision at a press convention in Lagos on Monday forward of the maiden African version of the WIM Global Economic Forum, themed “The Power Shift: Women Driving Africa’s Global Economic Influence,” scheduled for November 10–11, 2026, on the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.
They stated the gathering would transfer past celebrating ladies’s achievements to creating sensible alternatives for them to affect financial selections, entry capital, broaden companies, take part in worldwide commerce and set up strategic partnerships throughout continents.
Oyewole, who can be the founding father of Commonwealth Business Women Africa, stated the facility shift being advocated by WIMAFRICA was about guaranteeing that girls moved from being members in financial actions to changing into influential decision-makers, enterprise house owners, producers and traders.
She famous that African ladies had been already sustaining native markets, constructing enterprises and contributing considerably to nationwide economies, however wanted higher entry to finance, markets, infrastructure and management alternatives to maximise their potential.
“For me, the power shift is about who gets to make economic decisions. African women already build businesses, create jobs and sustain local markets. The next step is for more women to own the companies that grow, decide where capital goes and help set the terms on which Africa trades,” she stated.
She defined that the convention would amplify the contributions of African ladies, significantly in manufacturing, agriculture, know-how, commerce and different productive sectors, whereas exploring how they may make the most of alternatives beneath the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Oyewole burdened the significance of backward integration and native manufacturing, noting that girls entrepreneurs might play a major position in strengthening African provide chains by reworking regionally accessible uncooked supplies into completed merchandise.
She recognized entry to finance as one of many largest constraints going through women-owned companies, arguing that many entrepreneurs have the capability and market alternatives to broaden however lack the working capital required to execute contracts and maintain manufacturing.
Drawing from her expertise as a producer and founding father of NOXIE Limited, an workplace furnishings manufacturing firm established almost three many years in the past, she defined that companies typically battle to finance supplies, wages and manufacturing prices whereas ready for purchasers to pay for accomplished contracts.
She due to this fact known as on monetary establishments to develop financing merchandise that replicate the operational realities of women-owned enterprises, significantly producers and small companies.
Oyewole additionally urged authorities businesses and company organisations to make procurement alternatives extra accessible to certified women-owned companies, guarantee clear bidding processes and promote well timed cost for accomplished contracts.
On AfCFTA, she stated many ladies entrepreneurs remained inadequately knowledgeable about guidelines of origin, documentation and the procedures required to entry cross-border markets, regardless of the large alternatives provided by the continental commerce settlement.
She additional recognized poor roads and unreliable electrical energy as main challenges affecting ladies in rural agriculture and meals manufacturing, noting that insufficient infrastructure contributes to post-harvest losses and will increase the price of transporting items to city markets.
She known as for stronger safety of ladies’s property rights, significantly land possession, arguing that eradicating cultural and institutional obstacles would allow extra ladies to put money into agriculture, manufacturing and different productive ventures.
On her half, Segera stated the choice to deliver WIM’s international platform to Africa was pushed by the necessity to recognise the contributions of African ladies and join them to worldwide enterprise and funding alternatives.
She defined that WIM was established 16 years in the past in Sri Lanka to determine, have fun and promote ladies whose work contributes considerably to financial improvement {and professional} development.
She disclosed that the organisation now has members and award recipients in 29 nations, offering a global community by means of which completed ladies can collaborate, trade experience and set up enterprise relationships throughout borders.
Recounting her relationship with Oyewole, Segera stated they first met in India, the place the Nigerian entrepreneur was representing Africa at a global convention. She stated their subsequent engagements in Dubai, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Sri Lanka strengthened their relationship and uncovered them to the achievements and challenges of ladies throughout completely different economies.
According to her, Oyewole’s dedication to bringing the WIM Top 50 recognition platform to Africa supplied a chance to showcase the continent’s ladies and display their capability to contribute to the worldwide economic system.
Segera burdened that the popularity initiative would transcend celebrating skilled titles and positions to highlighting the skills, resilience, improvements and achievements of African ladies.
She described Africa as an more and more necessary market within the international economic system, including that girls remained central to unlocking the continent’s financial potential.
She emphasised that the gathering was not supposed to be merely one other convention and awards ceremony however a platform for enterprise partnerships, funding, commerce and long-term financial cooperation.
Segera additionally known as for reforms in monetary establishments, arguing that girls entrepreneurs ought to be assessed on their enterprise potential and capability moderately than conventional assumptions about their financial roles.
She additional emphasised the necessity for shared household obligations, noting that girls typically mix skilled commitments with home obligations, thereby limiting the time and alternatives accessible for enterprise growth and profession development.
“You cannot keep half of your population inactive in the economy and expect the economy to grow,” she stated.
Also talking on the press convention, Seun Oyewole, Managing Director of NOXIE Limited and Founder of Legend of Legend Productions Ltd, described Nigeria’s internet hosting of the maiden African version of the worldwide gathering as an necessary alternative to showcase the nation’s achievements and Africa’s rising financial potential.
Seun, who can be a member of WIMAFRICA and oversees occasion planning for the organisation, significantly the Global Economic Forum 2026 and the sixteenth Professional & Career Awards Gala 2026, stated the gathering would deliver collectively men and women from completely different nations {and professional} backgrounds to have fun ladies’s achievements and discover alternatives for collaboration.
He expressed satisfaction that the primary African version was happening in Nigeria, noting that Lagos, because the nation’s business capital, provided an applicable platform to showcase the entrepreneurial expertise, business actions and enterprise alternatives accessible throughout the continent.
He stated the preparations had supplied a chance to deliver collectively stakeholders dedicated not solely to highlighting the challenges going through ladies but in addition to showcasing their achievements throughout completely different sectors.
Providing additional particulars of the programme, Dr. Ngozi Oyewole stated the November 10 classes would characteristic discussions on Africa Trade 2035, AfCFTA, resilient provide chains and the continent’s position within the subsequent decade of worldwide development.
Other classes would look at monetary inclusion, financial energy, possession, capital mobilisation and wealth creation within the synthetic intelligence economic system.
The programme would additionally characteristic discussions on ladies’s management, synthetic intelligence, cybersecurity, the way forward for finance, sustainability, inexperienced capital and local weather resilience.
Participants are anticipated to look at how digital transformation can strengthen Africa’s banking sector, enhance international competitiveness and create new alternatives for women-owned companies.
The convention may also characteristic classes on international human capital, the way forward for enterprise, expertise improvement, management and productiveness within the rising economic system.
A worldwide discussion board recognition ceremony, government networking and enterprise matchmaking classes are additionally scheduled as a part of the programme.
The occasion will culminate in a gala night time on November 11, throughout which excellent ladies who’ve distinguished themselves in enterprise, management, innovation {and professional} follow will obtain awards and recognition.
The organisers stated the last word measure of the gathering could be the partnerships and sensible alternatives created after members returned to their respective nations, significantly in increasing ladies’s entry to capital, contracts, worldwide markets and financial decision-making.
[ad_2]
Source link
