The World Trade Organisation (WTO), in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (ITC), has unveiled plans to support 146 Nigerian women entrepreneurs through the first phase of the $50 million Women Exporters in Digital Economy (WEIDE) investment fund.

The initiative is designed to empower women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with financial support, technical assistance, and access to global markets. It aims to boost competitiveness and bridge barriers such as limited finance, networks, and digital infrastructure.

Under the first phase, 16 participants in the “booster track” will each receive $30,000 and 18 months of technical support. Additionally, 130 beneficiaries will get $5,000 and 12 months of business mentorship.

Speaking at the launch in Abuja, Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, represented by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, commended the WTO and ITC for the initiative. She noted that the programme aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to diversify the economy and expand opportunities for women-led enterprises.

Director-General of the WTO, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, applauded President Tinubu’s efforts to stabilise Nigeria’s economy, describing reforms as steps in the right direction. She stressed the importance of moving from stability to growth, while also establishing social safety nets to cushion the impact of reforms on vulnerable citizens.

The next step is how to grow the economy, create jobs, and put more money in people’s pockets, while building a social safety net to help Nigerians weather current hardships, Okonjo-Iweala said.