In partnership with: LAGOS STATE OFFICIAL HOST GOVERNMENT AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
CAPACITY BUILDING AND BUSINESS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan Nigerian Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development Lola Akande, Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation Nike Ogunlesi, Founder/Chief Responsibility Officer, Ruff n Tumble Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan Nigerian Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development OVERVIEW Themed, Accelerating Women s Economic Empowerment in Africa s Best Interest, the 2 nd Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) conference and exhibition was held at the Civic Centre in Lagos on 29 and 30 September 2016. Pre-conference training workshops and business capacity building activities took place at the Landmark Centre on 28 September. The successful event took the forum a notch higher than the 2015 edition with wider inclusions in terms of partnerships, high-profile speaker faculty and quality attendance, sponsorship, media participation and audience reach pre- and post-event. Two major Partners for AWIEF 2016 were the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Government of Lagos State, Nigeria. Participants from diverse African countries attended the 3-day event and attendees were drawn from governments, policy and decision-makers, CEOs of fast-growing women-owned enterprises, emerging and aspiring female entrepreneurs, upwardly mobile female professionals, banks and other corporates, the media and women cooperatives from the grassroots, thereby bringing together, under one roof, the formal and informal sectors. As an objective, AWIEF created networking opportunities and dialogue for all delegates and attendees with intra-africa business connections, knowledge-sharing and peer-learning. The event provided an opportunity to explore approaches, share perspectives and best practices in building bridges and creating linkages, supporting female entrepreneurship and gender mainstreaming. Powerful keynote speakers greatly enriched the audience with their presentations. These included the Nigerian Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Distinguished Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan, the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, represented by Mrs. Lola Akande, Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and Mrs. Nike Ogunlesi, Founder and Chief Responsibility Officer, Ruff n Tumble. A ministerial panel that comprised panelists from government and the corporate sectors showcased and highlighted key gender-related and women economic empowerment initiatives and programmes. Exemplary African women Founders and CEOs of outstanding and highly successful companies and businesses shared their stories, experiences and insights. Speaking truth to power and rallying people to action, these formidable and extraordinary
Left to right: Comfort Avunze Sakoma; Tiguidanke Camara (Founder/CEO Tigui Mining Group, Guinea); Ola Orekunrin (Founder/MD The Flying Doctors) AWIEF speakers left the young and emerging women entrepreneurs fully inspired, motivated and empowered. Positioning Women in Business in Africa: Key Facts And Figures Women own 25% of the enterprises in developing countries and men receive twice as much empowerment as women with the problem being much more pronounced in Sub- Saharan Africa than the rest of the world. Women face systematic segregation in all areas and if Africa closes its gender gap there will be 30-40% growth increase and the continent will be enabled to tackle issues of poverty, job creation and food insecurity Women-owned businesses in Africa are hampered by lack of business skills and education and lack of equal access to capital that offers flexible financing options Women produce 70% of the food in Africa but access only 10% of available credit The financing gap between male and female-owned businesses in Africa is estimated at 42 billion US dollars.
Basil Jones African Development Bank (AfDB) Tara Durotoye Founder/CEO; House of Tara International From left to right: Dorothy Githae, Founder/CEO, 360 Degrees International, Kenya; Eme Essien Lore, Country Manager, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Nigeria; Ope Wemi-Jones, DGM Access Bank, Nigeria AfDB-AWIEF AFAWA PANEL The Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) is an African Development Bank (AfDB) transformative programme for the economic empowerment of African women and boosting women entrepreneurship in Africa. AFAWA combines: Financing and funding to women-owned businesses Empowerment training Technical assistance Enabling business environment A high-level and dedicated two-hour plenary and panel discussion session on Inclusive Financial Systems: Are We Addressing Gender-Focused Innovative Financing? featured speakers and panelists from African Development Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Ministries of Women Affairs, Banks and CEOs of exemplary highly successful African women-owned businesses. WOMEN ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE AWIEF unveiled and launched Lagos State Women Economic Empowerment Initiative (Lagos WEEIN), an important and flagship AWIEF technical assistance project, designed in partnership with Lagos State Government, to provide all-round economic empowerment through both training and financial aid to Lagos women.
NETWORKING, NETWORKING AND FUN At AWIEF you meet and connect... EXHIBITION AWIEF 2016 was an exhibitor s haven. Hosted at the lovely Waterfront arcade of the Civic Centre, Lagos, the AWIEF Expo Pavilion featured exhibitors from diverse areas such as agriculture, textile and fabrics, fashion and cosmetics, leadership and communications, banking, engineering, pharmaceuticals and medicine, and included women from the informal sector proudly showcasing their products.
Marketing and Media With an excellent marketing strategy in place, AWIEF 2016 enjoyed massive media disseminations including outdoor, print and online. Collaborations with our international Media and Communication Partners ensured that the event received excellent media coverage and advertisement pre-, during and post-event that included: radio, TV, social media, billboards, press releases, newspaper editorials and press interviews. AWIEF Sponsors and Partners therefore derived maximum publicity benefits and visibility for their brands. TESTIMONIALS Fatma Fernandes: Managing Director, Abel & Fernandes Communication, Tanzania This conference, AWIEF, has really accelerated me in the right direction. I am glad to be part of it. I came all the way to Lagos (Nigeria) for the first time from Tanzania. I would love to tell every woman entrepreneur that you have the power in your hands. Take it, grab it, run with it. If you have the passion to do what you are doing, you will be able to reach a lot of heights and there are many women who will be there to help you grow. Shirley Nailantei: Founder & CEO, Convette Group, Kenya I love my experience here. I have learnt a lot. I learnt how to be a dynamic business woman, how to be creative, how to be innovative. I have made business contacts in this place. I have met women who are in mining. I have met someone who has set up a flying doctors medical company. For me these women pushed me to want to do more and be better. I would encourage all of you to come through for the next edition which will be happening in Cape Town. We all need to be part of this innovative African Forum that wants to make sure that every woman has an equal opportunity to grow and expand. So I am very impressed, this has exceeded my expectations. Tiguidanke Camara: Chairman & CEO, Tigui Mining Group, Guinea It is an honour for me to be here today at this wonderful event, where a lot of extraordinary women are gathered to make a change for women and Africa. This has been a great experience for me. Yesterday, I met a woman who started from nothing and today she owns one of the biggest chains in children`s clothing line, Ruff `n Tumble. She was an inspiration for me as I try to do things not like everyone else does it. I follow my gut. I think this is really a learning place for us women and it is great that this is supported by the government, by women from Nigeria and women from everywhere. I am originally from Guinea, living in the United States, but I have met people from Kenya, from Ivory Coast, from Nigeria, from everywhere! So this is really an event to encourage and I will definitely not miss the 3rd edition happening next year in South Africa. Prof. Sidi Osho: Pioneer & Past Vice Chancellor, Afe Babalola University & President, Sidi Osho Foundation, Nigeria This Forum is needed. It is needed for a number of reasons. Women need to network, women need to learn from women, women need to mentor women to be able to compare what they are thinking, their skills and ideas; to be able to actualize their dreams and avoid the challenges and mistakes others have made. My experience with this forum has been very exciting. Dr. Auta Bulus Jamaka, Head Corporate Planning, Bank of Agriculture, Nigeria I came here purposely to see for myself what the conference holds for women in this country, for women in business, but more especially to see for myself and hear for myself what is obtainable for the women who are engaged in agriculture. My special interest has really been to understand the needs of women in agriculture, women in rural development and in the process to come up with financial products in the Bank of Agriculture that will meet these needs. Dorothy Githae: Founder & CEO, 360 Degree International, Kenya AWIEF has been an eye-opener, especially that I have met women from all over Africa. Key is the AfDB launching AFAWA and also launching initiatives to support women and financial inclusivity. I think that the other thing about this Forum is I have met people, women entrepreneurs in Africa that I did not even know existed, who are doing amazing things. So this is really an important forum and I pray that more of them are done.
SAVE THE DATE FOR AWIEF 2017 IN CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA! The 3rd Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum Conference and Exhibition will hold on 5 6 October 2017 in Cape Town, South Africa at the ultra-modern Century City Conference Centre. AWIEF, in partnership and collaboration with the Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau and the City of Cape Town will bring you another beautiful and unforgettable experience of the AWIEF event. For sponsorship, exhibition and speaking opportunities, please call us at: +27 21 826 8878 or email us at: info@icoconferences.com For all enquiries: Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) 12 Bell Crescent, Westlake Business Park, Tokai 7946 Cape Town, South Africa +27 21 826 8878; +27 76 052 1199 info@icoconferences.com www.awieforum.com AWIEF Initiative @awieforum awief2016