Women’s economic rise depends on better infrastructure, NEF President tells AWEP conference

The President of the Nigeria Entrepreneurs Forum (NEF), Dr. Sidney Inegbedion, says women’s economic rise and empowerment depend on the better infrastructure and enabling business environment.

Speaking at the 2025 Annual Conference of the African Women Entrepreneurs Program (AWEP) in Abuja,  Inegbedion, reaffirmed the Forum’s commitment to supporting initiatives that amplify Vital Voices for women in business and enhance their productivity.

On the conference theme, “Together We Rise: Women’s Collective Impact,” Dr. Inegbedion delivered a presentation titled “Women’s Impact in a Developing Economy.”

He explained that the Vital Voices model, introduced by former U.S. First Lady Mrs. Hillary Clinton, emphasizes women sharing their experiences, skills, and ambitions as a pathway to economic, social, and political empowerment. According to him, the approach encourages collaboration with men through persuasion rather than confrontation.

“In modern times, names like Iyom Josephine Anenih Pauline Tallen, and Kema Chikure remain pillars in the shaping of the nation’s democracy and the Nigerian woman makes up the 41 percent micro business ownership across Nigeria and controls 60 percent of the informal sector in both rural and urban communities spamming the market places, farmlands, roadside places and home fronts,” he said.

He further stated: “Nano Enterprises in the form of frying akara and plaiting of hair as well as shop ownership are all pride of the Nigeria women’s contribution to the country’s GDP on daily basis not to talk of Folorunsho Alakija, the richest Nigeria woman and female icon in the oil and gas industry with a net value of USD 2 . 6 billion”.

Dr. Inegbedion urged women to remain supportive of one another in the pursuit of their aspirations, noting that collective strength is key to progress. He encouraged them to share opportunities and maintain a positive mindset as they work toward their dreams.

Highlighting obstacles faced by women-owned businesses, he pointed to inadequate road networks, poor potable water supply, unreliable electricity for domestic and industrial use, and currency instability as major infrastructural gaps that hinder growth. He called on the Federal Government to prioritize solutions to these issues.

The NEF President also restated the Forum’s commitment to advocacy, entrepreneurial training, and capacity building aimed at increasing awareness of the vast business opportunities available in Nigeria. He recalled that NEF was established in 2010 in response to challenges such as unemployment, youth restiveness, underutilized talent, antisocial behaviour, rapid population growth, rural-urban migration, and infrastructure deficits. Since then, the Forum has focused on enterprise development, funding support, and business expansion initiatives.

He reaffirmed NEF’s continued partnership with AWEP in promoting women’s empowerment.

Earlier, the National President of AWEP Nigeria, Dr. Grace Okaro, noted that the organization remains dedicated to advancing the vision of economically and politically empowering women to become catalysts for positive change and champions of a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable society.

Dr. Okaro explained that AWEP operates across five business clusters—Agriculture/Food Processing, Fashion and Apparel, Hair and Body, Light Manufacturing, and Services—and maintains strong representation across all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

The 2025 AWEP Conference featured goodwill messages from notable public and private sector leaders, alongside panel sessions, exhibitions, certificate awards to mentees, and the association’s Annual General Meeting.