The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW) has called on the government to facilitate easy access to finance to boost entrepreneurship. The group said if this was adequately tackled, it would give women entrepreneurs more leverage to become employers of labour and empower more women to contribute to national development. President of NNEW, Mrs. Funmilayo Arowoogun, said this over the weekend during the 15th anniversary celebration of the association in Lagos.She said women entrepreneurs contribute to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) and help to reduce unemployment rate and other challenges. She affirmed that the last 15 years of the Network had witnessed major transformation, beginning from the pioneer members who have grown their businesses to eviable heights. Wellington added that “NNEW is formidable force in women’s economic empowerment as we have supported over 3,000 women-owned businesses with loans and credit through the NNEW Microfinance Bank and NNEW Cooperative Multipurpose Society.”We have continuously pushed the frontier of advocacy and issues that could have negative effect on women’s socio-economic wellbeing.”As part of the celebrations, the association marked its anniversary as Business Membership Organisation (BMO) and also unveiled 7th edition of annual summit with the theme, “Moving to Mastery.”

Source: The Guardian October 13, 2020 03:11 UTC