By NGOZI Onyeakusi

 

MD, Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe

In line with its commitment to empower women with the skills they need to thrive in the economy, Access Bank recently concluded the first season of the the much talked about Womenpreneur Workshop by training Female Entrepreneurs in the Eastern region of the country.

This edition which serves as the fifth and final edition of the first season was organised just before the 3rd Anniversary of the Bank’s W Initiative. The workshop which held in Enugu’s capital city serves as the final session for the first season of the series. Prior to the Enugu Workshop, the Bank had held the training in four other locations in the country namely; Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Abuja and Kaduna and trained over1,600 female entrepreneurs in the first season.

To successfully implement the workshop, Access Bank’s W Academy under the W Initiative, partnered with the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), Pan Atlantic University; the Entrepreneurship arm of Lagos Business School to organise and drivethe training.

The Womenpreneur workshop is designed to address the lack of access to entrepreneurial skills, finance, networking, and management skills; which are the key barriers to women’s economic inclusion.

Speaking on the purpose of the workshop, Group Head, Inclusive Banking of Access Bank Plc, Mrs. Ope Wemi-Jones said, “Since 2006, the Bank has continued in its commitment to drive women’s economic empowerment in the nation. The Womenpreneur Business Workshop is intended to educate and enlighten Nigerian women on the fundamentals in business which will eventually help them attain their full potentials and continue to drive economic activities in Africa”.

“So far, business women in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Abuja and Kaduna have benefitted immensely from the workshop with over 1600 female entrepreneurs testifying to have increased their business network, improved their business model and are thriving through the economy with ease,” she added.

This first of its kind workshop is highly discounted and targeted at small and medium scaled women entrepreneurs.

Celebrating its 3rd Anniversary this year, Access Bank’s W Initiative has decided to commit to growing female SME’s in Nigeria by organising the second season of the highly beneficial workshop. This much expected season is positioned to reach more budding female entrepreneurs thus fostering the growth of SME’s in Nigeria.