Nigerian Women Entrepreneurs Urged To Embrace E-Commerce

Nigerian women entrepreneurs have been urged to embrace e-commerce to grow their businesses.

Mr. Ahmed Kagara, the South West Regional Head of Bank of Industry (BoI) Nigeria, on Tuesday gave the advice in Ibadan, on the sideline of the three-day 1st South West Regional E-Commerce Summit and Expo.

He said that women entrepreneurs in the country should make use of e-commerce facilities to be in line with best global practices in business.

He said that e-commerce was vital for the development of the various sectors of the Nigerian economy, including the banking sector.

“The emergence of e-commerce in the banking industry cannot be over-emphasised. It has facilitated the growth of the industry globally.

“In the south-west, over 50 per cent of women engage in entrepreneurship through which they have been able to support their families.

“They start the petty business known as “worobo,” in Yoruba, and with good track record of their products, they are able to survive on the proceeds of such businesses.

“However, they need to develop with the growth of technology that will expand their businesses. This is where e-commerce is of immense benefit to them.

“Embracing e-commerce will expand their businesses and also make the marketing process an easy venture for them since they can always do business online as well as open stores.

Kagara disclosed that BoI had many loan facilities available for women to access, adding that such loans gave them the opportunity to grow and expand their businesses.

“I want every woman in businesses, whether SMEs or capital intensive businesses, to avail herself of the opportunities of accessing our loans,” he said.

The regional head said that the bank was determined to encourage more women to go into business and develop small and medium scale enterprises.

He said that was one way women could emancipate themselves from poverty, lack of education and poor health.