Nigeria Targets 10,000 Women-Led Exports by 2030

The Federal Government has unveiled a plan to empower 10,000 women-owned export-ready businesses across Nigeria by 2030 and facilitate international market access for 3,000 women-led SMEs by 2027.

First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, stated this on Thursday at the official launch of the Women in Export Development Initiative in Abuja.

She was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima.

Speaking in her keynote address, the First Lady said, “This is not merely the unveiling of a programme.

“We are igniting a beacon that will illuminate the path for thousands of Nigerian women entrepreneurs determined to take their rightful place on the global trade stage.”

WEIDE, launched by the World Trade Organisation and the International Trade Centre in collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, aims to boost women’s participation in international trade through capacity building, export literacy, and global value chain linkages.

According to the First Lady, the initiative will deliver grassroots export literacy through cluster hubs in all 36 states and the FCT, while establishing linkages through platforms such as AfCFTA, ECOWAS Trade Hub, ITC SheTrades, and UN Women partnerships.

“Women are not just participants in development. They are drivers of it.

“Closing gender gaps in economic participation could grow Nigeria’s GDP by up to 23 per cent. Women own 41 per cent of micro-businesses and contribute close to 29 per cent of our GDP, yet only 15 per cent participate in formal export trade,” she said.

She added that women represent 49.3 per cent (115.01 million) of the country’s population, a statistic she described as “a compelling call to action.”

“Women are half the power, half the potential, and more than half the promise of this great nation,” she said, citing Nigerian women’s achievements in sectors ranging from agribusiness to technology.

The First Lady praised the NEPC for hosting the SheTrades Nigeria Hub for over eight years, connecting more than 4,000 women entrepreneurs to global markets, and commended the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, for being “the SheTrades Champion.”

She also highlighted ongoing federal interventions for women’s empowerment, including the Nigeria for Women Programme, a national women e-market portal, digital skills training for over 20,000 women, and the Naija Save Nigeria financial literacy initiative.

“When a woman exports, she does more than earn. She empowers.

“Studies show that women reinvest up to 90 per cent of their earnings into their families, healthcare, and education. That is not just business growth. That is nation-building,” she said.

Quoting former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, she emphasised, “There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women.”

She called on government, the private sector, development partners, and civil society to work together to ensure WEIDE is remembered “not simply as a launch, but as a turning point.”

Earlier in her remarks, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said the official launch of the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy Fund in Nigeria marked the rollout of a $50m initiative jointly established by the WTO and the International Trade Centre to create new opportunities for women entrepreneurs engaged in digital trade.

The initiative will benefit 146 women entrepreneurs selected as beneficiaries. Under the scheme, 16 entrepreneurs in the Booster Track will each receive up to $30,000 alongside 18 months of technical assistance, while 130 entrepreneurs in the Discovery Track will get up to $5,000 each and one year of business support.

In her address, Oduwole commended the WTO Director-General and the ITC for their continued partnership, noting that digital trade offers unprecedented opportunities for Nigerian women to reach new customers, integrate into global value chains, and showcase their products and services worldwide.

She reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to aligning the programme with national digital economy and trade strategies, improving export processes, reducing trade bottlenecks, and expanding financing options for women-led businesses.

Highlighting President Bola Tinubu’s eight-point agenda and the target of achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030, the minister said women’s success in digital trade must become a shared national and international priority.

“We want Nigerian women to export not just products, but also ideas, culture, and innovation. Let today mark the beginning of a new era where our women rise, export, and lead on the global stage,” she said.

Also speaking at the launch, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Nonye Ayeni, described the launch as a milestone for women entrepreneurs and a testament to their resilience, determination, and capacity to compete on the global stage.

She expressed gratitude to Nigeria’s First Lady for her unwavering commitment to women’s advancement, as well as to the World Trade Organization Director-General for envisioning the WEIDE Fund, and Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director, International Trade Centre, for her tireless advocacy for women in trade.

Ayeni disclosed that the call for applications received an overwhelming 68,000 entries from across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, reflecting the entrepreneurial energy of Nigerian women. The 146 beneficiaries selected will not only receive grants but also capacity-building support, training in digital trade, access to finance, and digital skills to compete in the global market.

“The WEIDE Fund is not just about grants. It is about unlocking the immense potential of our SMEs, particularly women-led businesses,” Ayeni said.

She added that women are central to driving digital trade and economic growth.
Ayeni described the launch as a milestone for women entrepreneurs and a testament to their resilience, determination, and capacity to compete on the global stage.

She expressed gratitude to Nigeria’s First Lady for her unwavering commitment to women’s advancement, as well as to the World Trade Organization Director-General for envisioning the WEIDE Fund, and Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director, International Trade Centre, for her tireless advocacy for women in trade.

Ayeni disclosed that the call for applications received an overwhelming 68,000 entries from across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, reflecting the entrepreneurial energy of Nigerian women. The 146 beneficiaries selected will not only receive grants but also capacity-building support, training in digital trade, access to finance, and digital skills to compete in the global market.

“The WEIDE Fund is not just about grants. It is about unlocking the immense potential of our SMEs, particularly women-led businesses,” Ayeni said.

She added that women are central to driving digital trade and economic growth.

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