International Women’s Day: TD Africa’s floats N10m seed fund for female entrepreneurs

As part of initiatives to mark the 2023 edition of the globally celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD) event, TD Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa’s leading distributor of tech and lifestyle products has rolled out plans to empower women in business with seed funding up to the tune of N10m.

The landmark initiative is being executed through the aptly-named – “The HERwakening”, a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) vehicle pioneered by TD Africa aimed at supporting and empowering female entrepreneurs.

The seed fund is open to female business owners who are retailers of mobile devices and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) or prospective female entrepreneurs looking to start up a business in these identified areas.

Applications, which have commenced for the seed funding, will run from Wednesday, March 8, 2023 (International Women’s Day) through to Saturday, March 18, 2023.

Interested beneficiaries are urged to visit https://tdafrica.com/herwakening-2023/ to register their interest.

“TD Africa is committed to the transformation of lives in Nigeria. In line with the focus of this year’s celebration of International Women’s Day, we understand, as a business, that equal opportunities aren’t enough.

“Therefore, we are going a step further to ensure true inclusion and belonging through equitable action by granting seed funds to female entrepreneurs,’’ disclosed Coordinating Managing Director, Mrs. Chioma Chimere.

‘‘Technology remains a male-dominated sector. However, we are hopeful that this seed funding will go a long way in promoting equity and giving more women a chance to excel in the industry. We are passionate to see dreams come true through this initiative.

“The HERwakening aims to alleviate the hardship and challenges encountered by women-owned businesses. It is also a testament to our pledge to impact and empower female-led businesses and entrepreneurs across Africa with the required resources and technical support to ensure the viability of their ventures.”

Furthermore, she revealed that, in addition to the seed funds, TD Africa will continue to provide mentorship and training to effectively equip female entrepreneurs with the right tools to achieve business growth, profitability and sustained success.

As earlier mentioned, the seed funding is targeted at prospective and existing retailers/resellers of mobile devices and FMCG products. After registering, business owners will proceed through two screening rounds where they will pitch their ideas. Successful participants will receive the sum of N2m each, plus free business mentorship and consultation.

TD Africa’s intervention is driven by global trends which indicate that more women are actively starting up and leading businesses, even as the company points to a visible increase in female participation in the male-dominated IT ecosystem. Nevertheless, TD Africa is convinced that immense untapped opportunities still abound.