Alakija’s Flourish grants N2m each to 100 female business owners
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Flourish Africa has awarded N2 million grant each to 100 female entrepreneurs from a N1 billion fund ring-fenced for 2,500 female entrepreneurs in five years in Africa, beginning with Nigeria.
Flourish Africa is a women empowerment movement founded by Nigeria’s richest and Africa’s second richest woman, oil tycoon Folorunso Alakija, who is worth $1 billion by Forbes.
Up to 500 female entrepreneurs had in July graduated from Flourish Africa’s Business and Life Skills Training Programme (BLSTP) which mentors female owners of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Up to 100 of them received seed grants to grow their businesses.
Alakija recounted this week at Flourish Africa’s fifth Anniversary/Award Ceremony in Lagos that she founded the non-profit to empower women who would empower other women with an understanding that economic inequality remains a major challenge for women in Africa.
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Women with key to transform Africa
Other speakers at the event joined her to press the message home, per reporting by Vanguard.
Sahel Consulting co-founder Ndidi Nwuneli said women hold the key to transforming Nigeria and entire Africa and it is imperative they rise above stumbling blocks to venture into uncharted territories and realise their God-given potential.
BLSTP graduates 500 female business mentees
Flourish Africa announced last month the graduation of the first batch of 500 female entrepreneurs and beneficiaries of BLSTP
Alakija said BLSTP was inspired by her desire to raise the next generation of economically empowered women in Africa, starting with Nigeria, for the next five years to equip them with skills to manage successful businesses, per Vanguard.
A statement issued by BLSTP recounted the 12-week intensive training exposed the beneficiaries to world-class coaching and business mentoring from industry experts, including Alakija herself.
Alakija in one of the live mentorship sessions urged the participants to support one another and pitched the importance of passing on the lessons learnt.
She stressed the need to place God first in business, saying it is the key to her success as an entrepreneur. “Business is God’s Business,” she insisted.
Flourish Africa Engagement Associate Eloho Iyamu disclosed the graduands would participate in a business pitch competition where 100 winners would get N2 million fund each.
“In addition, the graduates will also be inducted into the prestigious Flourish Africa Alumni Association, which has been positioned to become a knowledge and expertise powerhouse for African female-owned businesses,” she said.
