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Women Entrepreneurs to benefit from AWP network Vendor forum

By Guardian Nigeria
27 November 2021   |   2:01 am
To help women entrepreneurs participate effectively on procurement processes, get contract opportunities in the public sector, the African Women Power (AWP), Network is collaborating with the Ekiti State Bureau of Public Procurement to host a forum.

To help women entrepreneurs participate effectively on procurement processes, get contract opportunities in the public sector, the African Women Power (AWP), Network is collaborating with the Ekiti State Bureau of Public Procurement to host a forum.

Scheduled to take place on Wednesday, December 1 and Thursday, December 2, 2021, the forum titled, ‘Women’s Inclusion and Participation in the Procurement Process,’ will take place at Adetiloye Hall, Trade Fair Complex on Iyin road in Ado Ekiti.

The event, which is free for all attendees who are also expected to register, will focus on how to get one’s business ready for contract opportunities in the public sector, and experts will share winning tips for obtaining contracts.

The two-day AWP Network Vendor forum aims to bring together women entrepreneurs from across Nigeria and will accomplish the following goals:  the first is to establish a business case for the inclusion of women entrepreneurs and help them to simplify the complex procurement process. The second is to advocate for an increase in women’s participation by establishing gender-inclusive contract utilisation goals across board in the public procurement process. It is also aimed at enlightening and advocating for existing solutions; as well as to discuss the current challenges of women-owned businesses in the supply/value chain process as it pertains to public procurement in Nigeria.

Founder, AWP Network, Mary Olushoga, states, “We are excited about the collaboration with the Ekiti State Bureau of Public Procurement and we look forward to taking the conversation on gender inclusion to the next level. My team and I understand that this is not an easy task however, we are up for the challenge.”

The AWP Network Vendor Programme helps women entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and creators become qualified vendors. The six-week business intensive programme for women vendors offers them an opportunity to pitch and supply to large retailers to include: ShopRite Nigeria, Next Cash n Carry, Miniso Nigeria, FreshForte, Prince Ebeano and Jara Stores.

The competitive AWP Network Vendor programme, which launched last year, received over 2,500 vendor applications and only 100 vendors were accepted into the programme. 61 of the 100 vendors were certified to complete the programme and received the opportunity to pitch their products to ShopRite Nigeria, FreshForte, Next Cash n’ Carry, and Miniso Nigeria. 

This year, the AWP Network Vendor Programme doubled its application numbers from over 2,500 to over 5,000. 140 small businesses were accepted into the competitive programme and only 70 completed the programme.

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