As part of efforts to support women-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), NerdzFactory Foundation, in collaboration with Access Corporation, has empowered women’s business growth with digital technology, branding and tips on how to leverage the Internet to drive growth.
Having impacted over 1,500 women through a series of webinars, boot camps, and summits, Women Digital Entrepreneurship Programme (WDEP) equipped women with the necessary skills, information and resources to start, grow and monetise their online businesses.
Founder, EkoCrib, Boma Agina-Obu, urged entrepreneurs to ensure excellence at the beginning of their businesses as it will determine the lifespan of any business, noting that the delivery of value and impact should be a priority as delivering value brings profit as the business grows.
Also, Olaronke Oni, an entrepreneur, advised entrepreneurs to ensure competence and create a niche, as these are metrics to get the right value for services rendered or products sold.
Head of Business, NerdzFactory Foundation, Prince Chigbundu, while highlighting the critical stage the country is, said the number of unemployed youths far exceeds available economic opportunities
“We have to be deliberate in equipping young people, especially the women in Nigeria to enable them to thrive both in Nigeria and anywhere around the world,” he added.
The WDEP summit also held the final grant pitch competition with 99 entries and the top 10 businesses had the first phase of the grant pitch before the summit, while the top five presented their business ideas during the event.
From the grant pitch session, three entrepreneurs emerged as winners. There are Founder, GVK Integrated Services Limited, Titilayo Olaniyan; Founder, Call for Gas Limited, Agnes Alfred Benedict and Founder, of Neeyahs-farms, Yakub Ganiyat-Folusho.
The first, second and third winners received cash prizes of N250,000, N150,000 and N100,000 respectively.
