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By Adesanwo Feyiyemi
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called for improved access to finance for women entrepreneurs to unlock their growth potential and boost their contribution to Nigeria’s economy.
LCCI President, Leye Kupoliyi, made the appeal at the LCCI Women in Business/SME Group Product Day 2026, themed: “She Trades, She Thrives: Showcasing Excellence, Connecting Markets,” where he described women as key drivers of trade and economic transformation.
Kupoliyi said Nigeria’s economy is showing signs of recovery, noting that it recorded a 3.89 per cent growth in the first quarter of 2026 of the strongest first-quarter performance in more than a decade, with the non-oil sector contributing 96 per cent of total output. He added that declining inflation is helping to stabilise input costs for small businesses, making it easier for entrepreneurs to plan, price products and reinvest. He also highlighted that “intra-African trade rose to $220 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $230 billion this year, despite women accounting for about 70 per cent of Africa’s informal cross-border trade while remaining underrepresented in formal trade systems.”
He stressed that closing the financing gap for women-owned businesses is critical to sustaining non-oil economic growth, adding that the chamber will deepen engagement with commercial banks and development finance institutions to improve access to funding.
According to him, LCCI will also work with the Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture and NEXIM Bank to facilitate financing opportunities, while strengthening collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to integrate more women-owned businesses into the Guided Trade Initiative and simplify certificate-of-origin processes.
“We look forward to greater engagement with relevant institutions, such as deposit money banks and development finance institutions, and will convene structured facilitation between our women members and the Bank of Industry, BOA, and NEXIM.
“We must support the participation of women entrepreneurs in impoving their market access within the African continent under the AfCFTA.”
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Kupoliyi further said the chamber would expand digital trade capacity-building programmes for women-led MSMEs to improve access to digital payments, logistics and market intelligence. He encouraged exhibitors at the Product Day to leverage the platform to secure new business opportunities, financing and continental market access, while urging government and financial institutions to invest more in women-owned enterprises, describing them as Nigeria’s next major growth driver.
On her part, Chairman, LCCI Women’s Group, Olufemi Ogun noted that the Product Day was conceived by her predessors in office from the conviction that entrepreneurs do not only need encouragement—they need opportunities, visibility, access to markets, connections and people who believe in their products, patronise their businesses, and help them grow.
She told the exhibitors and entrepreneurs that the exhibition was a platform for discovery, connection, collaboration, and growth.
“Behind every exhibition stand here is a story—a story of courage, creativity, resilience, sacrifice, and ambition. I therefore encourage everyone here: please do not just walk past the booths. Stop. Engage. Ask questions. Connect. And, most importantly, patronise our exhibitors.”
She noted that when entrepreneurs are supported, “we do much more than make a purchase. We strengthen a business, sustain livelihoods, create jobs, and contribute to the growth of our economy.”
She urged the entreprenuers to showcase with confidence.
“Tell your story proudly. Build relationships. Make sales. Exchange contacts. Explore collaborations. And remember that one conversation today could open the door to your next major opportunity.
“Let us showcase excellence. Let us connect markets. Let us build businesses and grow together.”
