Adesua Etomi, others make 100 most inspiring women list

* Facebook Empowers Young Female Entrepreneurs With Boost Your Business Initiative IN commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day, as well as celebrate hardworking Nigerian women, YNaija.com and Leading Ladies Africa recently unveiled the 2017 edition of the 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria. The idea behind the initiative is to celebrate and publicise their achievements, with the clear intent of inspiring a new wave of Nigerian female change makers, leaders and entrepreneurs.

For the 3rd year in a row, the #100Women celebrates Nigerian women from different spheres and in different stages of work and life, all of who are constantly leading lives of excellence and breaking new ground in their unique ways.

With over four months in the making, the #100Women list has gone through a strict process of vetting, approval and review from external partners and a trusted advisory committee.

“It is impossible to create a list that highlights every single great Nigerian woman, but LLA have managed to come up with a presentation that at its core, celebrates all that we know to be great about the modern Nigerian woman,” says Lekan Olanrewaju, Editor of Y!/YNaija.com.

He noted that the collaboration with LLA is hinged on the fact that the organisation recognises and values the achievements women bring to the world.

For Francesca Uriri, Founder, Leading Ladies Africa, “Our key objective is to promote leadership, diversity and inclusion for African women – a call to have them participate in activities that ensure they lead better, fulfilling, and ultimately more productive lives.

“The 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria list, ties into that vision – of recognizing the incredible and inspiring work, Nigerian women from diverse backgrounds have put into governance, enterprise, advocacy and business,” she said.

As part of activities to further celebrate and recognise the honourees, they will subsequently be presented with their certificates and honoured at a gala event, slated for March 30, at the Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi Lagos.

Comprising mostly of young women from different professions, the lists has the likes of Abimbola Alale, Achenyo Idachaba, Chika Uwazie, Adenike Oyetunde, Adepeju Jaiyeoba, Adesua Etomi, Akwaeke Emezi, Amina J Mohammed and Arese Ugwu. Others include Asisat Oshoala, Ayodeji Megbope, Bidemi Zakariyau, Chinenye Jeanne Nnoli, Chinwe Ohajuruka, Chioma Ude, Ijeoma Ndukwe, Isabella Akinseye, Isio Wanogho, Liz Osho, Onos Ariyo and others.

Meanwhile, in celebration of International Women’s Day, Facebook will host the first of its ongoing series of Boost Your Business trainings for an exclusive group of female entrepreneurs. During the event, guests will take part in a three-hour training that covers everything from brand building and understanding key audiences, to content best practices. The event will conclude with a speed pitch competition airing Live on Facebook where three female entrepreneurs will present their business ideas to a panel of judges for a chance to win a prize.

Boost Your Business is a training initiative developed by Facebook and facilitated by She Leads Africa, is designed to train and upskill small business owners on how to leverage digital tools to grow their businesses.

Apart form the March 8 event online, ongoing trainings will be held in Lagos, Kaduna, Ibadan, Port Harcourt and Abuja.

According to Nunu Ntshingila, Head of Facebook Africa, “Helping women to start and grow prosperous companies is a powerful way we can transform our society and create equal opportunities for all. At Facebook, we are enthusiastic about supporting small women-owned businesses in their growth by providing them with a platform that democratises marketing and connects them to customers.”

In Nigeria, the number of new women-owned SMB Pages on Facebook has increased 140 percent between 2015 and 2016, and more than 13X since 2012.