The first tranche of grants under the $50 million Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund programme will be disbursed in the first quarter of 2026, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has announced. The disclosure was made on Wednesday by the Executive Director and Chief Executive of NEPC, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, who assured beneficiaries that the funds would be released after the completion of ongoing capacity-building and compliance processes.
Ayeni spoke at a Town Hall Meeting for beneficiaries of the Fund held in Abuja, where she reaffirmed the council’s commitment to addressing long-standing challenges facing women in global trade, particularly limited access to finance. She acknowledged that many women exporters struggle to secure credit, stressing that the council remains determined to remove such constraints.
According to her, the programme is designed to go beyond grants by addressing real financing gaps that often limit business growth. She explained that while funding matters, stronger attention is being placed on skills development.
“While funding is important, the real focus is on skills; financial literacy, bookkeeping, tax compliance, and strategic business planning—areas often overlooked but essential for sustainability,” Ayeni said.
She added that training activities will continue alongside grant disbursement, describing the approach as deliberate and structured. “This is deliberate. We do not want a situation where participants only complete training and wait passively for grants. The Women in Export Programme (WEP) team will closely monitor progress, track what coaches are teaching, and ensure participants fully benefit from the programme,” she stated.
Ayeni said the WEP team will continue to work closely with participants to ensure they maximise the initiative’s full benefits. She emphasised that the programme is competitive and selective and should not be taken lightly.
“The opportunity to access training, certification, mentorship, and markets is rare and valuable. Some participants may receive grants, others may not—but every participant must take advantage of the full programme, especially market access opportunities. Progress will be monitored, outcomes evaluated, and lessons documented,” she said.
Describing the initiative as strategic, Ayeni said, “This is a powerful and strategic programme. It is good for the country, good for women, and good for the growth of non-oil exports.”
She further explained that the $50 million WEIDE Fund is a global initiative by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) aimed at empowering women-led businesses in developing countries, with a strong focus on Nigeria. The programme provides training, finance, and market access to support women in digital trade.
The initiative seeks to help women exporters scale from small enterprises into global players through grants, mentorship, and structured support. During its launch phase, 146 Nigerian women entrepreneurs benefited from the programme.
Ayeni noted that significant capacity-building activities had already been carried out for the selected participants. She said top-tier coaches and trainers were deployed immediately after the official launch in August by the Director General of the WTO, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
“The world today presents several areas of concern, and this makes initiatives like this even more critical. That is why this meeting has been convened—to take stock, align priorities, and address emerging challenges,” she said.
She added that the programme goes beyond conventional trade discussions by integrating multiple forms of capacity building aligned with the needs of women exporters. “This is not just about conversations; it is about providing practical guidance, mentorship, and institutional support,” Ayeni said.
Highlighting recent export performance, she said last year marked a major milestone for exporters across the supply chain, with non-oil exports growing by about 20.7 percent, the highest level in the country’s history.
Ayeni disclosed that in 2024, NEPC implemented about 29 programmes nationwide through its six regional offices, reaching over 60,000 participants.
“This year, 305 participants will receive international certification, fully sponsored by NEPC. If you were unable to benefit previously, we are committed to ensuring broader inclusion going forward,” she said. She urged beneficiaries to stay engaged and comply fully with all programme requirements throughout.
