We can’t empower what we don’t define: A turning point in Nigeria’s recognition of women-owned businesses

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By Mr. Agabaidu Jideani

Despite their significant contributions to Nigeria’s economy, women-owned businesses have long operated in the shadow, underserved, undercounted, and often excluded from formal government interventions. The absence of a nationally adopted definition for Women-Owned Businesses (WoBs) has meant that these enterprises remain invisible in official records, procurement frameworks, and development programs. The resulting policy vacuum has made it difficult for governments, institutions, and development partners to design and target support effectively.

To address this critical gap, the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), with support from the Investment Climate Reform (ICR) Facility, co-funded by the European Union, the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the British Council, has implemented a two phase initiative, to enable transformative reforms for gender equality.

Under the first phase, ACCI presented two technical reports at two dialogue forums with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA). The second phase focused on progressing the adoption of a national definition of women owned businesses- and supported an innovative approach to business formalization. While the first phase led to the establishment of a ACCI / FCT MDA Joint Action Committee, the second phase sought to further the sustainability of the Committee and deliver tangible results for women entrepreneurs.

Business Breakfast Meeting: Building Consensus and Securing Commitments
Held on June 10, 2025, the Business Breakfast Meeting was a milestone in Nigeria’s gender-responsive policy advocacy. The event brought together over 60 high-level participants, including Ministers, senior policymakers, development agencies, regulators, and civil society. At its core, the session aimed to validate a pragmatic and inclusive national definition of WoBs and galvanize institutional commitments for adoption.

Three ministers gave the reform effort significant political legitimacy:
Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Hon. Minister of Budget and National Planning, expressed strong support for the definition and noted, “There’s no reason Nigeria cannot adopt this. Definitions help us solve problems. This is one we can solve.”
Hon. Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs, emphasized, “We cannot empower what we do not define.” She pledged to lead a legitimation process and prepare a Federal Executive Council submission to formally adopt the definition.
Hon. Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Trade & Investment represented by Hajiya Hajara Usman, Head of Gender, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investments, committed the Ministry’s alignment and promised sector-wide integration of the WoB definition.

The agreed definition, which was reaffirmed by consensus, categorizes Women-Owned Businesses as:
Sole proprietorships owned by women
Companies or partnerships with more than 51% ownership by women

These definitions form the foundation for more efficient and effective mechanisms in gender responsive public procurement, enterprise support and financial access.

WoB Open Day: From Policy to Practical Action
On June 13, 2025, ACCI hosted the WoB Open Day, a live demonstration of what meaningful business formalization can look like when policy meets implementation. Over 50 startup women entrepreneurs from diverse sectors; fashion, food processing, retail, agriculture, manufacturing, and digital trade, were supported to formally register their businesses, open bank accounts, and access advisory services. The purpose was to test i) demand for costless business registration, financial services, and businesses development services and ii) if, and how, these combined services result in business growth.

Demand for these services among entrepreneurs, was very high. The Open Day featured on-site participation from key regulatory and support institutions including the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), FIRS, BOI, SMEDAN, NAFDAC, ITF, NEPC, and AEA. Financial institutions such as Access Bank, Moniepoint, and Hasal Microfinance Bank provided tailored financial literacy and business account support.

Thanks to ICR Facility funding and strategic coordination, all 50 women received CAC business registration. Beyond formalization, a pivotal announcement came from the Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs (FCT); confirming that these formalized WoBs would now be eligible for the Presidential Grant for Women, facilitated through the Office of the First Lady. This single act links grassroots formalization with national-level empowerment.

One of the beneficiaries, Halima Musa, a young agro-processor from Karu, shared: “Before today, I didn’t know I could access registration and funding. I now have a business certificate and a bank account. I feel visible. I feel empowered.”

The Momentum, the Impact, and the Road Ahead
These two events did more than gather people; they mobilized action, triggered political will, and made visible the systemic barriers to women’s economic inclusion. Importantly, they resulted in:
Ministerial pledges to advance the WoB definition to Federal Executive Council and institutionalize it
MDAs and agencies, including CAC, SMEDAN, BOI, NEPC, and others, committing to integrate the definition into programmatic frameworks
50+ women entrepreneurs formally onboarded into the formal economy, with access to financial services and grant from the office of the wife of the President through the office of the FCT Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs.

What began as advocacy has now transitioned into tangible results. But to sustain this progress, Nigeria’s government, private sector, and civil society must remain engaged and committed.

A Call to Action
The recognition of Women-Owned Businesses is no longer a question of possibility; it is a matter of political will and institutional follow-through. This is more than a technical exercise. The adoption of a national WoB definition is a moral, economic, and governance imperative. It signals that Nigeria is ready to invest in inclusive growth, where women’s contributions are visible, valued, and verifiable.

As ACCI’s partnership with the ICR Facility concludes, the momentum must not wane. Let every ministry, every agency, and every business chamber, take this moment forward. Let us define women-owned businesses not only in policy, but in practice, in law, and in legacy.

Jideani is DG, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry