Nestlé Nigeria traines 50 Women in Zaria with business development, empower them with grants

 

By allcitynews.ng 

Nestlé Nigeria has trained 50 women retailers in Zaria, Kaduna State, with training on business development and empowered them with grants as the company marked the fifth anniversary and 10th edition of its Empowering Rural Women Initiative.

The intervention, which is aimed at helping women entrepreneurs strengthen and expand their businesses, provided the beneficiaries with Nestlé products valued at three times their existing stock.

The support also marks the commencement of a three-month mentorship programme during which the beneficiaries will receive practical guidance on stock management, business growth and reinvestment.

Launched in 2021, the Empowering Rural Women Initiative targets women retailers who demonstrate the potential to grow their businesses but face limited access to training, mentorship and resources.

Before the Zaria edition, the initiative had supported 432 women entrepreneurs across various communities in Nigeria. The addition of the 50 beneficiaries brings the total number of women reached by the programme to 482.

According to Nestlé Nigeria, monitoring of previous beneficiaries shows that more than 80 per cent of participants have sustained and grown their businesses beyond the initial support, with many recording increased inventories, turnover and customer base as well as improved financial and business management practices.

Speaking at the event, Commercial Manager, Nestlé Nigeria, Boladale Odunlami, said women constitute about 60 per cent of the company’s retailers and play a significant role in connecting consumers with its products.

“The Empowering Rural Women Initiative reflects our belief that the women who contribute to our growth should have the opportunity to grow with us.”

Odunlami said the initiative was designed to strengthen the skills and businesses of women retailers while building a more resilient retail network.

The Zaria beneficiaries received training in bookkeeping, merchandising, stock management, financial management and customer service.

They will also receive mentorship over the next three months to help them apply the knowledge acquired, manage their increased inventory and reinvest profits towards sustained business growth.

Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability Lead, Nestlé Nigeria, Victoria Uwadoka, said the success of the initiative should be measured by what beneficiaries are able to build with the support provided.

She said the programme’s five-year journey had shown that women could sustain business growth, expand their enterprises and improve economic security for themselves and their families when given the right support.

Uwadoka described the initiative as an example of Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value approach, noting that stronger businesses and livelihoods among women retailers also contribute to strengthening the company’s distribution network across communities.

The Zaria edition was implemented with the support of Nestlé Nigeria’s implementation partners and local distributors, who will continue to engage with the beneficiaries throughout the mentorship period.

As the initiative enters its next phase, Nestlé Nigeria said it would continue to support more women entrepreneurs with the skills, resources and mentorship needed to build sustainable businesses and contribute to economic activity within their communities.

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