NEPC Secures ₦979.8m Grants for Women Exporters

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has announced the disbursement of ₦979.8 million in WEIDE grants to support 128 women-owned export businesses. This initiative, disclosed by the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of NEPC, Mr. Nony Ayeni, during a town hall meeting in Lagos, aims to strengthen women-led businesses and enhance their access to digital trade and international markets.

A total of 121 businesses received discovery grants of $5,000 each, while seven enterprises were awarded booster grants of $15,000, bringing the total value of grants disbursed to $710,000. The WEIDE fund collaborates with the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), with support from the financial unit of the United Arab Emirates and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Legacy Fund.

The initiative seeks to bridge the digital finance gap for women-owned micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and improve their competitiveness in the global market. NEPC received 67,000 applications from Nigerian women-owned export businesses, the highest among four participating countries.