The business women group of the National Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), also known as NACCIMA Business Women Group (NAWORG), is set for this year’s Nigerian International Women Entrepreneur Exhibition (NIWEX). The annual programme will hold in Lagos State, Nigeria’s commercial capital from October 20 to 23, 2022, at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja.
Addressing stakeholders to flag of the event at the NACCIMA House in Lagos State on Friday, Stella Akande, NAWORG Coordinator, Lagos State and the chairperson, trade fair and exhibition, said in addition to the theme of this year’s programme being “Encouraging Women in Agriculture and Made in Nigeria Products for Economic Growth”, the annual programme is organised in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives.
“Nigerian International Women Entrepreneur Exhibition is a NAWORG annual trade fair that is organised to create awareness opportunities for women-owned businesses within the chapter movement. The maiden edition started in 2010 at Abuja, and we have also organised it in Lagos and Ogun states. This year’s edition will take place in Lagos with the collaboration of the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives”, Akande said.
She added that in the past, NAWORG, through such events, gave its members the opportunity to network with other women in various business fields across the nation including from neighbouring African countries such as Egypt, Benin Republic, Ghana, and South Sudan.
Other dignitaries that attended the sensitisation programme include, Aisha Abubakar, national chairperson, NACCIMA Women Business Group, represented by Stella Akande, NAWORG Lagos State coordinator; Lola Akande, Lagos State commissioner for commerce, industry and cooperatives who was represented by Omolabake Bashirudeen; Toun Sonaiya of Women Radio represented by Lizzy Aboh; director-general NACCIMA, represented by Alatise Olufemi, head of department of research, IT and policy at NACCIMA and Alao Bimbo from the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce and Cooperatives.
Other dignitaries included Zainab Adebola, coordinator, women wing, Ikorodu Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Tamina Ogedengbe, Olufunmilayo Ewajesu, Foluso Taiwo, and Ademola Awoyemi.
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According to Akande, there will be a road show in Lagos State on Tuesday October 18, 2022 which will be organised in conjunction with the Lagos State Ministry of Information. This will be followed by registration for the event on October 20, while the exhibition will hold on October 21, followed by a workshop and conference on October 22, and the event will round off on October 23, 2022 at the same venue.
Bashirudeen Omolabeke who represented the commissioner for commerce, industry and cooperatives in Lagos State said the Lagos State Government has always supported women-led enterprises as this will make the state become a 21st century economy where the contribution of everyone is needed.
“The current administration in Lagos State takes matters relating to women seriously. It supports women led enterprises in many ways including regular training and sensitisation programmes, grants, and creating the platforms for them to showcase their products”, Bashirudeen said.
She added that Lagos State Government a few weeks ago gave farming tools, materials, including cash which ranged from N100,000 to millions of naira to women who are into farming in the state.
Ogedengbe said NAWORG is present in every state of the country and that provides the body the opportunity to reach out to the people at the grass root.
Alatise emphasized the need to promote women led businesses in the country as according to him, the concept is now one of the ways to measure gender equity, even as the World Bank has introduced a metric which evaluates gender equality across countries of the world.
“For years, the exhibition has been promoting the affairs of women, within and outside the nation. This year’s exhibition is unique as it aims to promote women entrepreneurs through made-in-Nigeria products and agriculture for economic growth”, Alatise said.
