US Consulate, Ascend Studios Foundation partner on 2022 Academy for Women Entrepreneurs

The U.S. Consulate General in Lagos in partnership with Ascend Studios Foundation has officially opened the 2022 application for the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) – a U.S. Government initiative set up to empower female entrepreneurs all over the world.

For the fourth year of AWE, 200 participants will be selected from the 17 states of southern Nigeria for the 2022 cohort. To support the comprehensive rehabilitation and reintegration of returned migrants, 50 female returnees will also take part in the programme.

Accompanying this competitive programme is the opportunity for the graduates of AWE to become an automatic member of the U.S. government exchange alumni community, a conferment that grants them access to extensive network of top and similar business-minded professionals all over the country.

Statistics have shown that women’s participation in the economy drives better global businesses, resilient values, economic growth and sustainable development. The AWE initiative is an enormous platform for female entrepreneurs in Nigeria to access classroom-like theoretical and practical insights, expand their networks, and build sustainable businesses.

The programme offers complete business training through intensive and well-curated sessions facilitated by seasoned industry experts and business leaders on one part and access to the DreamBuilder platform – a blended business training course developed for women through a partnership between Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management and global copper mining company, Freeport-McMoRan.

In giving her thoughts on this year’s partnership and programme, Inya Lawal, Ascend Studios Foundation’s CEO, appreciated the U.S. Consulate in Nigeria for the initiative.

“This is another great opportunity for women to participate in the economic and leadership space and we encourage many female entrepreneurs to apply for the program. This program is a game-changer for business owners. We have seen exponential growth in the businesses of our alumni, and we look forward to welcoming successful applicants this year,” Lawal said.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.