DBN, gain to empower 350 women entrepreneurs

The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) and Grand Africa Initiative (GAIN) have announced the launch of the third edition of the GAIN Entrepreneurship Masterclass for Women in Nigeria.

This transformative initiative will empower 350 women entrepreneurs who would be selected from across Nigeria, providing them with essential skills to foster the growth and expansion of their enterprises over a comprehensive six-week training period.

Application for GAIN Entrepreneurship Masterclass for Women (Nigeria) opens on September 6, 2024. The programme will include training and mentorship sessions which will be held virtually.

In a joint statement by DBN and GAIN, it was highlighted that the Women’s Masterclass has been meticulously designed to address the unique challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in Nigeria. The programme will offer targeted support in areas such as financial literacy, strategic marketing, business modeling, legal aspects of business, structure and processes, customer management, business branding and so much more, enabling participants to fully capitalize on the opportunities available in Nigeria’s growing economy.

“At DBN, we believe that women entrepreneurs are crucial to the sustainable development of Nigeria’s economy. Our partnership with GAIN reaffirms our commitment to supporting women-led MSMEs by providing them with the necessary tools, knowledge, and financial empowerment to thrive.

“By addressing the specific challenges women face in business, we are creating a more inclusive and resilient entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through initiatives like this, we aim to close the gender gap in entrepreneurship, ensuring women entrepreneurs have equal access to resources, training, and financing,” Managing Director/CEO of DBN, Dr. Tony Okpanachi, said.

Also, the Programme Officer for GAIN, Janet Oladapo, said: “We are excited for the impact that this holds as we have seen remarkable success in the previous four editions of our entrepreneurial masterclasses, and we are happy to extend this opportunity to more women entrepreneurs in 2024.”