By Tricia Ikem
Nigeria’s women entrepreneurs have been called upon to embrace collaboration in their businesses and entrepreneurial efforts so as to grow and emerge successes even in the current business environment in the country.
According to discussants at the 2018 5th edition of the annual summit of NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW), an all females technical arm of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), women entrepreneurs in the country stand to gain a lot by collaborating among themselves so as to take their businesses to the next level .
They noted that in all challenges faced since and after the recession in Nigeria, cooperating for business growth through sharing of experience is key to every sucessful business.
Themed “Unite! Women, Collaborating for Growth,” the summit had dignitaries such as Mr. Timothy Olawale, DG Designate, NECA; Mrs. Bolanle Akinwunmi, and well as Mrs. Adeyinka Oladunjoye, Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives, both represented.
The President of NNEW, Mrs. Modupe Oyekunle, identified the major problem of women in business as finance, noting that it is difficult for any woman to break even with a business run at 15 per cent interest rate.
.She added: “the gap is what we have been filling in NNEW, we believe in collaboration and helping others to grow.”
Stressing that the group had been able to “support over 3,000 women to grow their businesses through loans from our cooperatives and mentorship,”
She urged the government through the Bank of Industry (BoI) to give the commercial banks loans at five per cent so the latter could give out same at an affordable digit of 9 per cent to them.
Earlier in her Keynote Address, Chairman, Lagos State Employment Trust fund (LSETF)’s Board of Trustee, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui Okaru, MFR, who commended the group for their “like minded interest” in business growth, stressed it is clearly the way to go to ease the diverse duties and burdens placed on women in contemporary society.
Whilst sharing her entrepreneurial experience, the lsetf boss however restated the need for cooperation in business as “we cannot do it alone. Our passion and skills…is not enough. So, collaborate…the LSETF is there to support you,” she assured women.
chairperson for the summit committee, Wellington Olaitan, advise women in business to seek mentorship before set up any business. She explained that no matter how little the loan is, when you seek for mentor and work as a team the business will grow.
