WIM Leaders Seek Increased Access to Capital,Global Opportunities For African Women

Jonathan Eze

Founder and Chairperson of Women in Management (WIM), Dr. Sulochana Segera, and Chairperson of Women in Management Africa (WIMAFRICA), Dr. Ngozi Oyewole, have called for greater economic opportunities, global recognition and increased participation of Nigerian and African women in trade, investment, entrepreneurship and leadership.

The duo made the call at a press conference in Lagos on Monday ahead of the maiden African edition of the WIM Global Economic Forum, themed “The Power Shift: Women Driving Africa’s Global Economic Influence,” scheduled for November 10–11, 2026, at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.

They said the gathering would move beyond celebrating women’s achievements to creating practical opportunities for them to influence economic decisions, access capital, expand businesses, participate in international trade and establish strategic partnerships across continents.

Oyewole, who is also the founder of Commonwealth Business Women Africa, said the power shift being advocated by WIMAFRICA was about ensuring that women moved from being participants in economic activities to becoming influential decision-makers, business owners, manufacturers and investors.

She noted that African women were already sustaining local markets, building enterprises and contributing significantly to national economies, but needed greater access to finance, markets, infrastructure and leadership opportunities to maximise their potential.

“For me, the power shift is about who gets to make economic decisions. African women already build businesses, create jobs and sustain local markets. The next step is for more women to own the companies that grow, decide where capital goes and help set the terms on which Africa trades,” she said.

She explained that the conference would amplify the contributions of African women, particularly in manufacturing, agriculture, technology, trade and other productive sectors, while exploring how they could take advantage of opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Oyewole stressed the importance of backward integration and local production, noting that women entrepreneurs could play a significant role in strengthening African supply chains by transforming locally available raw materials into finished products.

She identified access to finance as one of the biggest constraints facing women-owned businesses, arguing that many entrepreneurs have the capacity and market opportunities to expand but lack the working capital required to execute contracts and sustain production.

Drawing from her experience as a manufacturer and founder of NOXIE Limited, an office furniture manufacturing company established nearly three decades ago, she explained that businesses often struggle to finance materials, wages and production costs while waiting for customers to pay for completed contracts.

She therefore called on financial institutions to develop financing products that reflect the operational realities of women-owned enterprises, particularly manufacturers and small businesses.

Oyewole also urged government agencies and corporate organisations to make procurement opportunities more accessible to qualified women-owned businesses, ensure transparent bidding processes and promote timely payment for completed contracts.

On AfCFTA, she said many women entrepreneurs remained inadequately informed about rules of origin, documentation and the procedures required to access cross-border markets, despite the enormous opportunities offered by the continental trade agreement.

She further identified poor roads and unreliable electricity as major challenges affecting women in rural agriculture and food production, noting that inadequate infrastructure contributes to post-harvest losses and increases the cost of transporting goods to urban markets.

She called for stronger protection of women’s property rights, particularly land ownership, arguing that removing cultural and institutional barriers would enable more women to invest in agriculture, manufacturing and other productive ventures.

On her part, Segera said the decision to bring WIM’s global platform to Africa was driven by the need to recognise the contributions of African women and connect them to international business and investment opportunities.

She explained that WIM was established 16 years ago in Sri Lanka to identify, celebrate and promote women whose work contributes significantly to economic development and professional advancement.

She disclosed that the organisation now has members and award recipients in 29 countries, providing an international network through which accomplished women can collaborate, exchange expertise and establish business relationships across borders.

Recounting her relationship with Oyewole, Segera said they first met in India, where the Nigerian entrepreneur was representing Africa at an international conference. She said their subsequent engagements in Dubai, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Sri Lanka strengthened their relationship and exposed them to the achievements and challenges of women across different economies.

According to her, Oyewole’s commitment to bringing the WIM Top 50 recognition platform to Africa provided an opportunity to showcase the continent’s women and demonstrate their capacity to contribute to the global economy.

Segera stressed that the recognition initiative would go beyond celebrating professional titles and positions to highlighting the talents, resilience, innovations and achievements of African women.

She described Africa as an increasingly important market in the global economy, adding that women remained central to unlocking the continent’s economic potential.

She emphasised that the gathering was not intended to be merely another conference and awards ceremony but a platform for business partnerships, investment, trade and long-term economic cooperation.

Segera also called for reforms in financial institutions, arguing that women entrepreneurs should be assessed on their business potential and capacity rather than traditional assumptions about their economic roles.

She further emphasised the need for shared family responsibilities, noting that women often combine professional commitments with domestic responsibilities, thereby limiting the time and opportunities available for business expansion and career advancement.

“You cannot keep half of your population inactive in the economy and expect the economy to grow,” she said.

Also speaking at the press conference, Seun Oyewole, Managing Director of NOXIE Limited and Founder of Legend of Legend Productions Ltd, described Nigeria’s hosting of the maiden African edition of the global gathering as an important opportunity to showcase the country’s achievements and Africa’s growing economic potential.

Seun, who is also a member of WIMAFRICA and oversees event planning for the organisation, particularly the Global Economic Forum 2026 and the 16th Professional & Career Awards Gala 2026, said the gathering would bring together women and men from different countries and professional backgrounds to celebrate women’s achievements and explore opportunities for collaboration.

He expressed pride that the first African edition was taking place in Nigeria, noting that Lagos, as the country’s commercial capital, offered an appropriate platform to showcase the entrepreneurial talent, commercial activities and business opportunities available across the continent.

He said the preparations had provided an opportunity to bring together stakeholders committed not only to highlighting the challenges facing women but also to showcasing their achievements across different sectors.

Providing further details of the programme, Dr. Ngozi Oyewole said the November 10 sessions would feature discussions on Africa Trade 2035, AfCFTA, resilient supply chains and the continent’s role in the next decade of global growth.

Other sessions would examine financial inclusion, economic power, ownership, capital mobilisation and wealth creation in the artificial intelligence economy.

The programme would also feature discussions on women’s leadership, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, the future of finance, sustainability, green capital and climate resilience.

Participants are expected to examine how digital transformation can strengthen Africa’s banking sector, improve global competitiveness and create new opportunities for women-owned businesses.

The conference will also feature sessions on global human capital, the future of business, talent development, leadership and productivity in the emerging economy.

A global forum recognition ceremony, executive networking and business matchmaking sessions are also scheduled as part of the programme.

The event will culminate in a gala night on November 11, during which outstanding women who have distinguished themselves in business, leadership, innovation and professional practice will receive awards and recognition.

The organisers said the ultimate measure of the gathering would be the partnerships and practical opportunities created after participants returned to their respective countries, particularly in expanding women’s access to capital, contracts, international markets and economic decision-making.