Development Bank of Nigeria Partners with Grand Africa Initiative to Empower 350 Nigerian Women Entrepreneurs

Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) and the Grand Africa Initiative (GAIN) have announced the launch of the third edition of the GAIN Entrepreneurship Masterclass for Women in Nigeria.

This transformative initiative is set to empower 350 women entrepreneurs who would be selected from across Nigeria, providing them with essential skills to foster the growth and expansion of their enterprises over a comprehensive six-week training period. Application for GAIN Entrepreneurship Masterclass for Women (Nigeria)’ opens on September 6, 2024. The program will include training and mentorship sessions which will be held virtually.

In a joint statement released by DBN and GAIN, it was highlighted that the Women’s Masterclass has been meticulously designed to address the unique challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

The program will offer targeted support in areas such as financial literacy, strategic marketing, business modeling, legal aspects of business, structure and processes, customer management, business branding and so much more, enabling participants to fully capitalize on the opportunities available in Nigeria’s growing economy.

 “At DBN, we believe that women entrepreneurs are crucial to the sustainable development of Nigeria’s economy. Our partnership with GAIN reaffirms our commitment to supporting women-led MSMEs by providing them with the necessary tools, knowledge, and financial empowerment to thrive. By addressing the specific challenges women face in business, we are creating a more inclusive and resilient entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through initiatives like this, we aim to close the gender gap in entrepreneurship, ensuring women entrepreneurs have equal access to resources, training, and financing” said Dr. Tony Okpanachi, Managing Director/CEO of Development Bank of Nigeria.

Janet Oladapo, the Programme Officer for GAIN commented on the continued collaboration with DBN, “We are excited for the impact that this holds as we have seen remarkable success in the previous 4 editions of our entrepreneurial masterclasses, and we are happy to extend this opportunity to more women entrepreneurs in 2024. This Masterclass not only offers participants high-quality training; it also provides them with opportunities to network, receive guidance from seasoned global mentors, and acquire the comprehensive knowledge needed to drive substantial growth in their businesses.”

The Entrepreneurship Masterclass aligns with the broader missions of both GAIN and DBN. Both partners remain committed to empowering African youths and women by providing them with skills and resources necessary to drive sustainable economic development across the continent. DBN, on the other hand, continues to support Nigeria’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by alleviating financing constraints and creating an enabling environment for their growth. Applicants can apply online via: https://bit.ly/GAIN-DBN

About Development Bank of Nigeria.

Development Bank of Nigeria is a development finance institution, established by the Federal Government in collaboration with global development partners to address the major financing challenges facing Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria. DBN carries out this function by providing financial institutions, predominantly Deposit Money and Microfinance Banks with funding facilities designed to meet the needs of MSMEs. Development Bank commenced operations in November 2017.

About GAIN

Grand Africa Initiative (GAIN) is a pan-African non-governmental organization enabling African youths through training, empowerment, mentorship, and advocacy to help them develop and harness their potentials, unique ideas, talents, and abilities to succeed in education, employment, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Through the annual GAIN Youth Summit, GAIN Entrepreneurship Masterclass, Grow with GAIN, A Date with GAIN Mentors among programs, GAIN has impacted over one million youths. GAIN network comprises young Africans drawn from within and outside the continent, who are passionate about promoting entrepreneurship as a means of reducing conflict and illegal migration, and promoting peace and economic revival of the continent. GAIN leverages strategic partnerships to create and implement programs that impact positively on young Africans and this is one of such programs.