Lagos commissioner advocates greater access to finance, markets for women entrepreneurs at APSCA 2026

Share on Twitter ‎Folashade Bada Ambrose-Medebem calls for stronger institutions, inclusive policies and measurable action to advance women’s leadership across Africa.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Hon. Folashade Bada Ambrose-Medebem, has called for greater access to finance, markets, technology and leadership opportunities for women entrepreneurs, stressing that women’s economic inclusion is essential to Africa’s sustainable development.

Ambrose-Medebem made the call while delivering an address at the Africa Public Sector Conference and Awards (APSCA) in Accra, Ghana, where she won the Africa Public Sector Personality of the Year in Trade and Investment category.

‎Speaking on the theme, “Women in Leadership: Advancing Economic Inclusion, Enterprise and Governance,” the commissioner said Africa could not achieve its development ambitions without ensuring that women actively participate in governance, business leadership and economic decision-making.

‎She noted that the continent’s expanding digital economy, growing population, abundant resources and the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could accelerate economic growth if women were adequately equipped to participate.

‎‎“Women’s leadership is not an additional item on the development agenda. It is essential to delivering it,” she said, emphasising the need for policies that translate women’s participation into measurable economic and institutional outcomes.

‎Lagos introduces financing and export-readiness initiatives

‎Highlighting Lagos State’s efforts to strengthen women’s economic participation, Ambrose-Medebem identified the Lagos State Cooperative Microfinance Loan Programme (LASMECO) as one of the practical interventions designed to improve access to finance for eligible cooperative members.

‎According to her, the programme, developed in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI), combines ₦10 billion in funding, comprising ₦5 billion each from the Lagos State Government and BOI.

‎The initiative provides eligible cooperative members with loans at an interest rate of nine per cent, without collateral, alongside a six-month moratorium and repayment terms of up to three years.

‎‎She explained that the programme was designed to address one of the major constraints facing small businesses, particularly enterprises whose owners possess viable business ideas and repayment capacity but lack conventional collateral.

‎The commissioner also disclosed that 252 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), including 189 women-owned businesses, had received export-readiness training through the Lagos State Export Readiness Programme (LASERP).

‎She said the training was intended to help businesses understand export standards, improve product quality and prepare to access wider markets.

‎Ambrose-Medebem stressed that access to finance and business training must ultimately translate into increased production, improved incomes, job creation and expanded market opportunities.

‎Commissioner highlights technology and AfCFTA opportunities

‎The Lagos commissioner further underscored the role of artificial intelligence (AI), financial technology (fintech) and digital trade in helping women-owned businesses improve productivity and compete beyond their immediate markets.

‎‎She explained that AI-powered tools could help entrepreneurs analyse customer demand, manage inventory and improve marketing, while fintech solutions could facilitate payments, strengthen transaction records and support the development of financial histories needed to access credit.

‎However, she cautioned that technology would only expand economic opportunities if women had access to affordable internet connectivity, digital devices, practical training, reliable payment systems and protection against fraud.

‎‎Reflecting on the AfCFTA Digital Trade Forum held in Lagos, Ambrose-Medebem highlighted the importance of connecting policymakers, businesses, innovators and financial institutions to advance practical outcomes from the continental digital trade agenda.

‎‎She also pointed to the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), developed by Afreximbank in collaboration with the African Union and AfCFTA Secretariat, as an important mechanism for facilitating cross-border payments in local currencies.

‎According to her, such systems could help women-owned businesses reduce payment-related challenges when trading with suppliers and customers across African countries.

‎She maintained that the success of AfCFTA would depend on whether women entrepreneurs could access the finance, skills, information, standards support and buyer networks required to participate effectively in regional trade.

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‎Lagos industrial policy targets enterprise growth

‎On industrial development, Ambrose-Medebem highlighted the Lagos State Industrial Policy 2025–2030 as a framework for strengthening manufacturing, innovation, industrial infrastructure, MSME development, cooperatives and sustainability.

‎She said women should be positioned to participate throughout the industrial value chain as manufacturers, suppliers, technology providers, investors and business leaders.

‎The commissioner also cited Lagos State’s first-place ranking in the 2026 Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Subnational Ease of Doing Business assessment under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.

‎She noted that improved business processes and reduced administrative delays could enable women entrepreneurs to devote more resources to serving customers, investing in their businesses and expanding operations.

‎Ambrose-Medebem further identified the Lekki corridor, anchored by the Lekki Deep Sea Port and Lekki Free Zone, as an example of how transport and industrial infrastructure could generate opportunities across logistics, manufacturing, services and supply chains.‎

She emphasised the need to ensure that women-owned enterprises could access these opportunities as suppliers, exporters, investors, professionals and employers.

‎The commissioner added that programmes supporting access to finance, export readiness, industrial development, investment and employment must work together to help women-led enterprises move beyond survival towards sustainable growth.

‎Calls for stronger women’s representation in governance

‎Addressing the governance dimension of women’s leadership, Ambrose-Medebem argued that representation must translate into meaningful influence over public policy, budgets, institutions and service delivery.

‎She cited Rwanda’s high level of women’s parliamentary representation as an example of the importance of deliberate systems and sustained political commitment, while stressing that countries must also assess how women’s participation translates into inclusive laws, economic opportunities and better public services.

‎She called for greater accountability in measuring the impact of public programmes, including whether women-owned businesses were accessing finance and procurement opportunities and whether their revenues, markets and employment contributions were growing.

‎The commissioner also highlighted the importance of women’s participation in shaping digital, green and secure governance, noting that inclusive decision-making could strengthen institutions and improve the delivery of public services.

‎She maintained that gender equality required commitment from both women and men in positions of authority, urging leaders to remove institutional barriers and create opportunities for women to contribute meaningfully to economic and political development.

‎Proposes Africa-wide women’s leadership think tank

‎As part of her recommendations for translating discussions into practical outcomes, Ambrose-Medebem proposed the establishment of an Africa Women’s Leadership, Enterprise and Governance Action Think Tank.

‎She said the proposed platform would bring together women leaders in government, business and finance, alongside civil society organisations, development partners and male allies committed to advancing women’s participation.

‎According to her, the initiative would track women’s access to finance, markets, leadership positions and procurement opportunities, connect capital to women-led enterprises, promote cross-border knowledge-sharing and develop evidence-based policy recommendations.

‎She stressed that the proposed platform must operate with a clear mandate, an agreed work programme, measurable targets and public reporting mechanisms to ensure accountability.

‎“The measure of this gathering will be what we do after we leave Accra,” she said, calling on public institutions, the private sector and development partners to move beyond declarations and demonstrate tangible progress.

‎She urged public institutions to assess who benefits from their policies, encouraged businesses to open pathways to finance, procurement and leadership, and called on development partners to support the expansion of successful initiatives.

‎Reaffirms commitment to inclusive economic development

‎Concluding her address, Ambrose-Medebem said Africa’s ability to achieve shared prosperity would depend on improving women’s access to capital, expanding markets for women-led businesses, strengthening digital capabilities and ensuring meaningful participation in governance.

She emphasised that empowering women entrepreneurs could stimulate enterprise growth, create jobs and strengthen industrial development, while inclusive governance could help institutions draw on a wider pool of talent and experience.

‎The commissioner expressed her willingness to champion the proposed continental think tank, describing it as an opportunity to build practical partnerships and ensure that commitments to women’s leadership produced lasting results.

‎She also congratulated the organisers of APSCA, nominees and award recipients, as well as public servants working to strengthen institutions across Africa.

‎“Let this be more than a keynote. Let it be the beginning of a shared African effort: a think tank that measures progress, connects women to opportunity and turns commitments into action,” she said.

‎She concluded by reaffirming the importance of collective responsibility in Lagos State’s development, declaring: “Ìgbéga Ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó, iṣẹ́ ajọṣepọ̀ ni”—the development of Lagos State is a collective responsibility.

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