The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), in partnership with Sterling One Foundation and with support from Agence Française de Développement (AFD), has launched the Women Investment Readiness Accelerator (WIRA) programme to strengthen women-led enterprises across the country.

The initiative, unveiled in Lagos, is aimed at helping women entrepreneurs overcome barriers, such as difficulty accessing finance, limited mentorship and inadequate business support services. It will provide training, guidance on accessing institutional funding, and market linkages to enable women-owned businesses to scale and compete effectively.

The managing director/chief executive officer of DBN, Dr Tony Okpanachi, said the bank remained committed to fostering inclusive economic growth through support for women entrepreneurs.

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“At DBN, we believe that empowering women entrepreneurs is not just the right thing to do, it is smart economics. With the support of Agence Française de Développement, programmes like WIRA can provide the guidance, mentorship and access to capital that women-led businesses need to thrive, scale and create lasting impact across Nigeria’s economy,” he said.

The chief executive officer of Sterling One Foundation, Olapeju Ibekwe, stressed “Women are a powerful force in Nigeria’s economy, yet across the continent they face a $42 billion annual financing gap, receive less than 10 per cent of total investment despite owning nearly 60 per cent of small and medium enterprises and secure only around 5 per cent of venture capital when led by female chief executive officers. With WIRA, we are going beyond just helping them stay afloat, we are giving them the tools, connections and confidence they need to grow, compete and succeed on a bigger stage.”

The programme, which combines training, mentorship and market linkages, is expected to equip more women-led businesses with the capacity to expand and contribute more significantly to Nigeria’s economic development.