WenA SCALE Program Graduates 150 Women Entrepreneurs, Hosts Semi-Final Pitching in Abuja

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

The Women Enterprise Alliance (WenA) has marked a milestone in its mission to strengthen women-led businesses in North Central Nigeria with the graduation of 150 entrepreneurs under its SCALE Investment Program. The event, which held in Abuja on Thursday, also featured a semi-final pitching competition that drew participants from the Federal Capital Territory, Niger and Nasarawa States.
The ceremony brought together entrepreneurs, investors, financial institutions and development partners to celebrate the achievements of women-led and high-growth small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that completed an intensive curriculum on business planning, financial management and investment readiness.

WenA’s Founder, Her Excellency Aisha Babangida, said the initiative reflects the organisation’s long-term vision to reduce the gender gap in entrepreneurship and enable women-owned enterprises to scale competitively. “Our goal is to see women entrepreneurs not just survive, but grow into businesses that create jobs, expand into new markets and contribute meaningfully to the Nigerian economy,” she said.
The SCALE Program was delivered with support from partners including Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), First City Monument Bank (FCMB) through its SheVentures initiative, the Bank of Industry (BOI) and Welcome2Africa International. Through these partnerships, participants had access to zero-interest loans, grants and trade linkages alongside classroom training.
Organisers reported that more than 50 SMEs received financial support through grants and loans, while at least 65 businesses secured new market access, both within and outside Nigeria. Many of the participants also highlighted personal success stories. Mrs Ijeoma Nworah, founder of AM Foods, said her company recorded a 100 per cent increase in sales after implementing a marketing plan developed during the program. Mrs Rukayat Yusuf, CEO of Jaunty Organics, said the training sharpened her leadership skills and positioned her company for scalable growth.

The pitching competition, which featured 45 entrepreneurs representing the three states, provided a platform for participants to present their business models before a panel of judges, investors and stakeholders. Finalists from the session will advance to the grand finale during the 5th WenA Conference scheduled for October 15, where the “Most Scalable Business in North Central Nigeria” will be announced.

Stakeholders at the event noted that access to finance and markets remains one of the biggest hurdles facing women entrepreneurs. WenA’s partnerships have made available grants of up to ₦5 million, zero-interest loans through FCMB SheVentures, equity and revenue-based financing opportunities facilitated by Welcome2Africa, and networks that link SMEs to buyers and investors locally and abroad.
Looking ahead, WenA called on government, the private sector and development partners to continue investing in programs that build entrepreneurial capacity and close financing gaps for women-led enterprises.

The WenA SCALE Investment Program, organisers said, represents a template for strengthening entrepreneurship ecosystems in Nigeria by combining training, finance and market access. For many of the graduates, the immediate task will be applying the knowledge gained to sustain growth and competitiveness.