Chevening Alumni, Others Set to Hold High-level SWEEAP Stakeholders Event in Rivers 

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja 

 The Chevening Alumni Association Nigeria (CAAN), in partnership with DO Take Action, with support from the Chevening Alumni Programme Fund of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), is set to host a high-level stakeholders engagement forum in Rivers state. 

The occasion will feature two landmark events: a train-the-trainers workshop and a high-level stakeholders engagement forum and graduation ceremony, a statement from the organisation said.

The Scaling Women’s Economic Empowerment through Affirmative Procurement (SWEEAP) programme, is a flagship initiative designed to strengthen institutional capacity, promote gender-inclusive reforms, and enhance women’s participation in public procurement. 

The programme focuses on building the technical competence of government institutions in Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) and Gender-Responsive Procurement (GRP) while empowering Women-owned and Led Businesses (WOLBs) to successfully access government contract opportunities. 

The train-the-trainers workshop scheduled for Thursday, December 11, 2025 at 9:00 am, will bring together procurement officers, gender desk officers, and civil society representatives to undergo intensive training on integrating GRB and GRP into government systems to promote inclusive development across Rivers State, the statement said.

The stakeholders engagement forum themed: “Advancing Gender-Responsive Budgeting and Affirmative Procurement for Inclusive Development in Nigeria”, will convene senior government officials, policymakers, development partners, women entrepreneurs, private sector actors, and civil society organisations on Friday, December 12, 2025. 

The goal, according to the statement, is to deepen policy dialogue, foster public–private collaboration, and chart a sustainable roadmap for institutionalising affirmative procurement practices in Rivers state. 

As part of the forum, SWEEAP beneficiaries who have completed the capacity-building programme will be officially graduated, celebrating their readiness to leverage public procurement opportunities and drive inclusive economic growth. 

Speaking on the forthcoming event, Oluwafunmilayo Ladepo, Chevening Programme Officer at British High Commission in Nigeria, noted: “The UK, through the FCDO’s Chevening Alumni Programme Fund, is proud to support the SWEEAP initiative. 

“This project embodies our commitment to strengthening institutional capacity and fostering policy dialogue necessary for inclusive economic growth and gender equality in Nigeria. We look forward to the tangible policy outcomes this Forum will yield in Rivers State.” 

Kester Osahenye, President CAAN, added: “The SWEEAP initiative exemplifies how strategic alumni-led initiatives can contribute meaningfully to advancing the development agenda in Nigeria. Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of both government institutions and women-owned businesses so that gender-responsive procurement becomes a norm, not an aspiration” 

Precious Ebere Chinonso, CEO of DO Take Action, stated:  “Scaling Women Economic Empowerment through Affirmative Procurement is about breaking barriers that have kept women at the margins of public procurement for too long. We’re leveraging capacity-building, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement to ensure women are not just included but prioritised in procurement systems” 

The SWEEAP programme is a Chevening-supported initiative aimed at advancing gender equality, inclusive governance, and economic empowerment by embedding gender-responsive reforms across public procurement systems.