Sanwo-Olu seeks increase in funding for women-led businesses

The wife of Lagos State Governor, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has called for a strong system and structures to prevent unjust acts against women and the girl child.

The first lady also called for increased funding for businesses and enterprises operated by women as part of the move towards gender equity.

Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Wife of a former chairman of Eredo Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, Olajumoke Saliu, stated this at the Business Women Hub (BWH) conference 2023 tagged, ‘Expanding HEReconomics Using Digital Innovation and Technology.’

She emphasised the need for deliberate efforts to enthrone fair play and equitable involvement of women in all facets of life. She noted that as efforts were being made to advance the frontiers of the country’s economy, justice and justness must be considered key factors.

Sanwo-Olu stressed the need to create more opportunities and access to finance to empower more women and girls to make the best of technology and innovation, with the view to ensuring sustainable development.

She said: “Without any iota of doubt, the power of digital innovation and technology possesses the ability to promote women’s rights. Through digital technology and innovation, some feats that were hitherto difficult to achieve are now possible. Technology has brought about seamless ways and tools to provide a level playing field for both men and women. It is particularly encouraging that women are capitalising on the benefits of innovation and technology to create a better world for themselves and their families.

“It is important to note that the focus of the 2023 Women’s Day celebration was on ‘Innovation for Gender-Equal Future’, while the media slogan was ‘EmbraceEquity.’

“In interrogating the basic definitions of the two key words －‘embrace’ and ‘equity’. To embrace means to willingly and enthusiastically accept, adopt and espouse, while equity connotes the quality of being fair and impartial.”

She noted that equity could be further broken down to imply justice, justness, parity, evenhandedness, and fair play.

“As such, one cannot talk about protecting the rights of women and expanding the economics of the female gender without considering these attributes.”

Founder of BWH and Managing Partner Thinkmint Nigeria, Imelda Usoro-Olaoye, said BWH is a community that advances the growth of female-owned businesses, with a special focus on enterprises in their first five years.

She said registered members of the community span over 1,200 women and spread into other African countries as well as businesses owned by female Nigerians living in the diaspora.

“We keep building, day by day, a network of highly skilled female entrepreneurs by providing them with valuable information, access to markets, finance, and new opportunities.”