FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT FOR NIGERIAN WOMEN:
Tony Blair’s wife, Cherie Foundation for Women, ExxonMobil Foundation Partner…Assist Women Business Owners for Literacy Skills
*Says: “We will Empower Women Entrepreneurs to Grow their Businesses”
*Explain: “We will Help them in building Management & Literary Financial Skills”
*Confesses: “ 500 Women Small Business owners have received Training”
*FACT: ExxonMobil invested over $100 million to Help Community-based and Global Partner Implement Programs through Women’s Economic Opportunity Initiative
BY LAURETTA JAPHET SUNDAY/REPORTER, LAGOS
AS Women and Girl-Child were celebrated on March 8, 2016 marking the International Women’s Day, an empowerment platform which had been existence by joint collaboration between Cherie Blair Foundation and ExxonMobil Foundation partnership in Nigeria further expanded its platform to accommodate more Nigerian women business owners to break-free from the clog of poverty, in a bid to have their own financial independence.
Making this known in a message titled: ‘Road to Women’s Business Growth’ showcased at a special event hosted by Cherie Blair on International Women’s Day celebrated an innovative new initiative to empower women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. It was developed with the support of the ExxonMobil Foundation, the Road to Women’s Business Growth project aims to inspire women owners of small businesses in Nigeria by building their management and financial literacy skills.
According to the organizers, “Women entrepreneurs worldwide face significant barriers to accessing financial services. Research shows that women-owned entities represent more than 30 percent of
registered businesses globally, but only 10 percent of women entrepreneurs have access to the capital needed to grow their businesses(1). In Nigeria, there is a persistent gender gap in financial inclusion, with only 34 percent of women having access to a bank account versus 54 percent of men(2).
“The Road to Women’s Business Growth initiative aims to address this gap by building the business management and financial literacy skills of women entrepreneurs, empowering them with the knowledge and tools they need to grow profitable and sustainable businesses. The project is implemented in collaboration with the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University, Diamond Bank and Emerging360.
“The initiative kicked off at the end of 2015 in Lagos, Abuja and Uyo. To date, 500 women small business owners have received training in business management and financial literacy. The custom-built curriculum, which combines in-class instruction and online learning, is specifically designed to meet the needs of women owners of small businesses in Nigeria. Over the next six months, the women entrepreneurs will continue to receive support to build their businesses, with 100 of them receiving
more intensive business support, including workshops, mentoring, and linkages to financial services, investment, and markets.”
The Road to Women’s Business Growth initiative was celebrated today at a special event to mark International Women’s Day at the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos. Cherie Blair, founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and wife of the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, said, “Women entrepreneurs play a powerful role in their societies and economies, often succeeding against huge odds. My Foundation is committed to supporting women in
developing and emerging markets to access the skills, networks, technology and financial services they need to establish and grow successful businesses. Our Road to Women’s Business Growth initiative will empower Nigerian women entrepreneurs to unlock the skills and tools they need to drive growth in
their businesses and communities.”
Highpoint of the ceremony was a huge attendance witnessed by Government officials, community leaders and women entrepreneurs. Approximately 250 women business owners participating in the program were also present, and celebrated completing the first phase of training in an afternoon
graduation ceremony with their families.
Nolan O’Neal, chairman and managing director of ExxonMobil Upstream Nigeria, was also present for the celebration and spoke about the company’s commitment to help women fulfill their economic potential. “Research shows that expanding economic opportunities for women is integral to global development and broader economic progress,” he said. “Today less than 35 percent of women in Nigeria have access to a bank account and many lack the capital needed to grow their businesses. This
initiative takes an important step toward increasing financial literacy and access for women business owners.”
About the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women
The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women (http://www.CherieBlairFoundation.org) provides women entrepreneurs in developing and emerging markets with the skills, technology, networks and access to financial services that they need to become successful small and growing business owners, so that they can contribute to their economies and have a stronger voice in their societies. Working in partnership with local and international non-profit organizations, the private and public sector, the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women develops projects with sustainable solutions to the challenges women entrepreneurs face through three programmes: Enterprise Development, Mentoring and Mobile Technology. To read more about the Foundation’s projects in Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Tanzania please visit: www.CherieBlairFoundation.org.
About the ExxonMobil Foundation
For more than a decade, ExxonMobil has invested in programs that advance economic opportunities for women around the world. In 2005, the ExxonMobil Foundation launched the Women’s Economic Opportunity Initiative (WEOI) to help women fulfill their economic potential and drive economic and social change in their communities. To date, ExxonMobil has invested more than $100 million to help community-based and global partner implement programs, improving the lives of tens of thousands of women in more than 90 countries.
