The Federal Government has announced a package of reforms aimed at strengthening women-owned businesses across Nigeria. The policy pledge, unveiled during a national stakeholders’ forum on women’s economic empowerment, promises measures to improve access to finance, markets and entrepreneurship training for female entrepreneurs.
Officials said the reforms will include streamlined access to government procurement opportunities for accredited women-owned enterprises, concessional credit lines via development finance channels, and targeted business advisory services. The government also announced pilot programmes to digitise registration and compliance processes that disproportionately burden small women-led firms.
Ministry representatives emphasised that increasing women’s participation in commerce will have multiplier effects on household welfare, job creation and poverty reduction. Civil society partners welcomed the commitment but called for clear timelines, measurable targets and independent monitoring to ensure sustained impact.
A rollout plan will begin with several states and metropolitan hubs, with the federal government pledging to mobilise donor and private sector support to scale successful interventions nationwide.
