The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, in partnership with ECOBANK Plc, has launched a six-month training initiative aimed at empowering women-led businesses in West Africa.
The program, which was introduced in Abuja, will provide women traders with essential skills, resources, and financial support to enhance business growth under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Touray, represented by Commissioner Massandjé Toure-Litse, praised Nigeria’s consistent support for regional integration and highlighted ECOBANK’s collaboration in strengthening financial literacy and business capabilities for women traders.
“Today marks a significant step in advancing economic inclusion and promoting financial empowerment among women traders,” said Toure-Litse. She noted that despite women leading many small and medium enterprises across ECOWAS countries, access to finance and broader markets remains a significant hurdle. To counter this, the program includes a blend of training, mentorship, and credit access to help women entrepreneurs scale their businesses regionally.
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The initiative is part of ECOWAS’s broader strategy to uplift women’s roles in regional trade, with further efforts under the ECOWAS Trade and Gender Action Plan and the ECOWAS E-Commerce Strategy. It will kick off in Nigeria, supporting over 800 women in its first phase, and eventually expand to other ECOWAS states.
Tunde Dawodu, ECOBANK’s Divisional Head for the FCT and the North, emphasized the bank’s commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs, particularly through the ELLEVATE Programme, which offers funding, mentorship, and digital tools to help women thrive in the marketplace.
Other key stakeholders, including representatives from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and Nigeria Customs Service, underscored the importance of capacity-building in trade practices and documentation, which will enable women to pursue sustainable, cross-border growth. ECOWAS expects the program to create opportunities for jobs and economic advancement, directly contributing to the realization of its Vision 2050 for inclusive growth across the sub region.
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