DO, partners World Bank to train 600 women-led businesses in Abuja

DO Take Action, a leading non-profit startup dedicated to mobilizing sustainable development across Africa, in partnership with the World Bank, says it has launched the Scaling Women’s Economic Empowerment Through Affirmative Procurement Reforms (SWEEP) training in Abuja, Nigeria.

In a statement on Thursday, it said the initiative followed a comprehensive needs assessment that revealed the significant challenges faced by women-owned and women-led businesses (WOLBs) in Nigeria, particularly in accessing public procurement opportunities.

The statement reads: “Despite women owning 40% of businesses in Nigeria, they remain underrepresented in public procurement. According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, public procurement represents a considerable portion of the country’s GDP—between 10-25%—and accounts for up to 50% of government expenditure in sub-Saharan Africa.

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“However, women-led businesses continue to receive a disproportionately small share of these contracts, highlighting a significant barrier to women’s economic equality in Nigeria.

“The SWEEP program aims to address this gap by implementing affirmative procurement policies that foster gender equality and empower women entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

“The program’s focus is on building the capacity of WOLBs in Abuja to access procurement processes while increasing awareness among the private sector about the importance of gender-responsive procurement practices. Additionally, it seeks to enhance public institutions’ capacity to implement these policies effectively,” the organization explained

It further noted that the program is set to directly benefit over 600 women-led businesses across three cohorts, adding that the pilot training phase begins on November 1, 2024, as registration is currently open.

Speaking on the initiative, Precious Ebere, Co-Founder of DO Take Action, stated that “The SWEEP program is designed to increase the participation of women’s small and medium-sized enterprises (WSMEs) in public procurement. Our Theory of Change emphasizes that by enhancing the capacity of WOLBs through targeted training, advocating for gender-responsive procurement policies, and improving access to financial and digital resources, women entrepreneurs will be better equipped to compete in both public and private procurement markets.

“This will lead to increased contract awards and business growth, empowering women-led businesses and advancing gender equality in the business sector.”

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