By Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku
Abuja, Nigeria – Market Traders Association of Nigeria (MATAN), a group in Abuja representing market women in the 36 states of Nigeria has said that it will collaborate with the Nigerian Women Trade Exhibition (NAWTE) to flag off the registration of 10million women traders in Nigeria for capacity building in 2022.
Sameera Abubakar Abdullahi, Coordinator, told journalists at the NUJ Press Centre Abuja over the weekend that apart from the registration of 10million women for capacity building in Nigeria, there are also plans to host Nigerian women trade Exhibition at the International Press Conference Centre Abuja from the 21st to 23rd March, 2022.
“It is on record that the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Development Banks and other financial institutions have opened different loan facilities windows for women as target beneficiaries. However, very few women benefitted from such facilities.
“Therefore, through this registration, the number of women to benefit will be enormous, and this will ensure greater financial inclusiveness of Nigerian women,” Hajia Abdullahi said.
Hajia Abdullahi also said that the registration exercise will inter alia, mainstream women into various sectors of businesses for self-reliance, create awareness for women to engage in setting up new businesses and create easy access to finance and pave way for financial inclusiveness.
“Under the skill acquisition programme training programme, the women will be trained in the areas of cookery, shoe and bag-making, leather works, makeup, detergent, perfumery, POS, ICT, Branding and marketing,” Hajia Abdullahi said.
MATAN officials who spoke with Alltimepost.com said that they decided to collaborate with the Nigerian Women Trade Exhibition to organize a trade exhibition for Nigerian women entrepreneurs to enable the showcase their products and services from across Nigeria, with special attention accorded to the participation of women at the grassroots.
Organizations collaborating with MATAN in the registration of 10million market women, and the Nigerian women trade exhibition in March, include the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, SMEDAN, NDE, NEPC, the Central Bank of Nigeria, FIIRO and selected Women organizations and associations in Nigeria.
