LAGOS, Nigeria — The Lagos State Government, through its Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment and the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), has partnered with the Made in Africa Brands Ambassador (MABA) to expand access to funding, training, and market opportunities for women exporters, as part of a five-year initiative aimed at empowering 10,000 women entrepreneurs.
The programme, known as the SheExports Project, is scheduled to run from 2026 to 2031 and is designed to provide women-led businesses with practical training on export procedures, international trade regulations, supply chain management, logistics, and digital marketing, among other critical skills. The initiative also seeks to connect participants with financing opportunities of up to N5 million through the Lagos State Government’s Access to Finance initiative, which provides interest-free loans to small businesses.
Speaking on the initiative, MABA Chief Executive Officer, Flora Mbeledeogu, explained that the project was created to address major barriers limiting women’s participation in export trade, including logistics challenges and limited market access. She noted that many Nigerian products continue to be rejected abroad because producers fail to meet global standards on quality, packaging, traceability, and certification.
“We have a lot of work to do locally before we talk exports. We must get product quality, packaging, certifications and traceability right before taking products to the international market,” Mbeledeogu said.
The Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr. Akinyemi Ajigbotafe, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs through access to finance, business development, and export readiness programmes. He noted that the future of Nigeria’s economy depends on empowering women entrepreneurs to move beyond primary production into value-added exports.
“Raw exports are the economy of the past. We must move from being mere commodity exporters to becoming manufacturers, processors and innovators. When cocoa becomes chocolate, shea nuts become cosmetics and cassava becomes premium starch, we do not just export more; we earn more, employ more and build stronger businesses,” Ajigbotafe said.
The SheExports Project aligns with the Lagos State Government’s broader efforts to strengthen the state’s position as a hub for trade and commerce in West Africa. The initiative has secured partnerships with several organisations, including the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, NAFDAC, and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture.
Selected participants will undergo an intensive training programme covering export documentation, trade finance, customs regulations, product labelling, and compliance with international standards. The programme also offers mentorship and market linkage opportunities to help women entrepreneurs scale their businesses across borders.
The Lagos State Government has also been investing in complementary initiatives to support women-led businesses, including training 250 women entrepreneurs on modern food packaging and labelling skills in partnership with NAFDAC, to improve product quality and regulatory compliance.
As the programme continues, the government has called on women entrepreneurs to take advantage of the opportunity to expand their businesses and contribute to the state’s economic growth. For now, the SheExports Project represents a significant step towards empowering women in trade and strengthening Nigeria’s export capacity.
