Nigerian women entrepreneurs now have the opportunity to access grant funding of up to $30,000 through the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, an international programme created to help women-owned businesses increase exports and compete in global markets.
The initiative is being implemented in Nigeria by the Nigeria Export Promotion Council in collaboration with the World Trade Organization and the International Trade Centre.
Programme Goes Beyond Financial Support
The WEIDE Fund is not limited to grant funding alone. Selected businesses also receive:
- Technical and business advisory support
- Digital skills and e-commerce training
- Export readiness assessments
- Market access opportunities
- Capacity-building programmes designed to strengthen international competitiveness
The initiative seeks to tackle common challenges facing women-led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), particularly limited access to finance, technology and global trade opportunities.
Objective of the WEIDE Fund
According to NEPC, the programme is designed to increase the participation of Nigerian women entrepreneurs in the digital economy while improving their ability to export products and services internationally.
Speaking on the initiative, NEPC’s Head of Corporate Communication, Aliu Sadiq, stated that the programme aims to strengthen the export competitiveness of women-owned businesses and bridge the gaps that restrict their growth in international markets.
A Global $50 Million Initiative
The WEIDE Fund operates as a $50 million multi-donor programme, combining financial grants with technical assistance and export development services.
Nigeria is among only four pilot countries selected for the initiative, alongside:
- Jordan
- Dominican Republic
- Mongolia
NEPC earned the role of Nigeria’s implementing agency after succeeding in a competitive international selection process involving more than 600 institutions worldwide.
Strong Interest from Nigerian Women Entrepreneurs
The programme attracted significant attention after its official launch in Abuja. Approximately 67,000 applications were submitted by women entrepreneurs from various sectors across Nigeria.
Following the evaluation process, 141 women-led businesses were selected for the 2025/2026 implementation cycle.
Grant Categories
The programme offers two support tracks:
Discovery Track
- 128 beneficiaries
- Grant funding of $5,000 each
- 12 months of technical and business support
Booster Track
- Higher grant of $30,000
- 18 months of technical assistance
- Designed for businesses with strong potential for export expansion and international market growth
Capacity Building for Beneficiaries
Beyond funding, participants receive training in several key business areas, including:
- Financial literacy
- Bookkeeping and accounting
- Tax compliance
- Business management
- Export documentation
- Regulatory requirements
- Digital marketing strategies
- E-commerce for international sales
The training sessions have been conducted in Abuja and Lagos.
Grant Disbursement Linked to Training
NEPC stated that completing the training programme is a mandatory requirement before grant funds are released. Grant disbursement has already begun for eligible beneficiaries.
Feedback from participating businesses indicates that the initiative has helped improve financial record-keeping, business management systems, understanding of export procedures and the adoption of digital tools needed to scale into international markets.
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