Minister craves 45% of Survival Fund for women

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mariam Katagum, has urged women entrepreneurs to apply for the Survival Fund as 45 per cent of the fund is dedicated to pegged for female-owned businesses.

Katagum said this in her goodwill message presented by Deputy Director, Achilam Chioma Fidel, at a workshop organised by Necas Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW) with the theme ‘The Woman Behind the Business’ in Abuja on Monday.

“Women entrepreneurs are very vital that is why the government has earmarked 45% of the Survival Fund to female-owned Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).So, I urge you to apply and take advantage of this opportunity,” she said.

The National President, Mrs Funmilayo Aroowogun, said NNEW which was established in 2005 has built generations of successful women entrepreneurs.

The Chairperson, NNEW Abuja, Dr Amina Zanna Ibrahim, said the vision of the association is to empower women to embrace entrepreneurship, build their businesses and network.

The Executive Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Mr Segun Awolowo, said NEPC is at the forefront of developing women entrepreneurs working with International Trade Centre (ITC) SheTrades to offer technical assistance to build the capacity of women-owned businesses on competiveness, with the aim of taking 20,000 women businesses to the international market by 2022.