NEPC channels $710K in WEIDE grants to 128 Nigerian women-owned exporters
What's the deal? The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has facilitated nearly N1 billion in grants to 128 women-owned export MSMEs under the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund. Executive director Nonye Ayeni disclosed the disbursement at a town hall meeting with exporters in Lagos.
The breakdown: 121 businesses received Discovery Grants of $5,000 each, while seven were awarded Booster Grants of $15,000 each. That brings the total to $710,000, or about N979.8 million.
Who's behind it? WEIDE is a joint initiative of the International Trade CentreDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → (ITC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), backed by the United Arab Emirates, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Legacy Fund, and the Kingdom of Bahrain. The $50 million global fund aims to close the digital financing gap for women-led MSMEs.
Why Nigeria? NEPC was chosen as the WEIDE Fund's Business Support Organisation for Africa ahead of more than 600 applicants. Nigeria is one of only four beneficiary countries globally, alongside the Dominican Republic, Jordan, and Mongolia.
The demand: The WEIDE Secretariat in Geneva received more than 67,000 applications from Nigerian women-owned businesses — the highest among the four countries. A merit-based selection process named 146 final beneficiaries across sectors including agro-processing, food and beverages, textiles and fashion, cosmetics, manufacturing, and creative industries.
Beyond the money: Beneficiaries joined capacity-building programmes in Lagos and Abuja, training in export readiness, digital trade, e-commerce, branding, financial management, and market access. Ayeni said the package aims to strengthen competitiveness, promote job creation, and support sustainable participation in regional and global trade.
The signal: The fund ties into the Federal Government's Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises non-oil exports, inclusive growth, and women's economic empowerment. For Nigeria, the scale of demand points to a large, underfunded base of women-led exporters seeking a path into international markets.
Read more: The Abuja Inquirer
