Flourish Africa Empowers 515 Female Entrepreneurs, Raises Grant to N1.3bn 

Dike Onwuamaeze 

Flourish Africa, a non-governmental female empowerment organisation founded by the Philanthropist, Apostle Folorunso Alakija, has trained 515 female entrepreneurs and supported 100 female owned enterprises with N3 million grant each.

The beneficiaries, who were graduates of the Business and Life Skills Training Programme that excelled in business pitch competition, received the grant  at the recent 8th Annual Conference/Grant Award Ceremony of Flourish Africa, which also increased its grant funding to N1.3 billion.

Speaking, Alakija said: “When women have access to economic resources and equal opportunities, they improve their well-being and that of their families.  This empowerment enables them to participate in and influence economic decision-making within society, thereby contributing to eradicating poverty and fostering economic growth.”

The Founder and CEO of No Left-Overs, Mrs. Ayodeji Megbope, highlighted research indicating that closing the gender gap in labour force participation could contribute £28 trillion to global GDP by 2025.

Similarly, the CEO of Sorami Enterprises, Mrs. Olufunto Igun, emphasised the crucial role of mentorship in entrepreneurial success, stressing that “trust, mutual respect, and setting SMART goals are essential. With effective mentorship, women entrepreneurs become self-sufficient and can empower others.

The four-month intensive training programme, targeting female-owned Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), provided participants with expert guidance in business strategy, finance management, legal compliance, marketing, and human resources. This comprehensive curriculum aims to equip entrepreneurs with the skills needed to build sustainable and profitable businesses.