To commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), no fewer than 90 women from the Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture-Business Women Group (NAWORG) have benefitted from a two-day export trade training programme organized by Finserve Investment Limited, in Lagos, recently.
The financial services firm, which commenced operations a year agosaid the aim of the training was aimed at educating owners of small and medium enterprises on the rudiments of earning foreign exchange for their products, among other business skills.
Co-founder and Director at Finserve, Taiwo Ebiesuwa, explained that the training was meant to empower women and launch them into the international market, especially those involved in food, agribusiness and agricultural produce.
“As regards the current economic situation, you would agree with me that one of our major problems is trade deficit, hence the need for businesses to scale up and export what they produce to earn foreign exchange,” he said.
According to Ebiesuwa, the organization believes in gender equality which targets empowerment and support for women.
“Looking at the societal and cultural barriers around us, we find more men than women in top level management roles in organisations and government than women. For us, it is very critical to give all the necessary support to our women.
We have similar initiative for the physically challenged. Basically, this is to ensure that everyone is able to contribute their quota to the development of the economy.”
Ebiesuwa emphasised that the training, which is the first of its kind, would be a frequent event and would be extended beyond Lagos so that women in other states could benefit in order to promote economic prosperity across the country.
Topics covered at the two-day event included; financial management, proper record keeping and other rudiments of success in business.
“After training, we follow-up with participants by giving after-training support as well as access to funding, which is one problem SMEs are facing generally. These are critical issues for us and we are very bullish about proffering solutions to them,” he said.
Co-ordinator, NAWORG, Lagos, Ngozi Modebelu, commended Finserve for organising the training, saying a lot of women are determined to plug into the export business.
She opined that the training remained a welcome development which is very important at this point in time, as seasoned lecturers from the Lagos Business School were on hand to teach the women on the rudiments of trade export.
“We learnt about the regulatory framework, the what and how that we need to get the best business for export, among other topics,” she said.
Modebelu disclosed that the training was beneficial to the women, many of whom already have ready-to-sell goods such as dry catfish, coconut juice and chips, black soap, fashion accessories, clothing among others.
“Our products have gone through NAFDAC certification and we are very ready. Aside from this training, we also want them to help us get market our product overseas. We have to bring this foreign currency back to Africa,” she said.