Bayo Akomolafe Government leaders from African countries, representing over 20 per cent of the continent’s countries, would convene in Abuja next week at the African Women Sustainability Conference 2024 to discuss how to tackle barriers and unlock millions of dollars for women in eco-financing by 2026.
The event, being organised by ImpactHER in partnership with the African Union and the United States Department of Commerce (USDC) will take place between December 11 and 12, 2024, in Abuja.
New Telegraph gathered that ministers from Chad, Liberia, Malawi, Benin, Zambia, Uganda, Cameroon, The Gambia, Nigeria and Kenya would join representatives from leading financial institutions and the U.S. Department of Commerce to share insights on eco-financing and sustainability.
The event is hosted by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the theme: “Igniting Africa’s Green Revolution: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs as Catalysts for Sustainable Growth and Unlocking Access to Eco-Financing.”
According to the organiser, ImpactHER, the conference aims to bridge the green financing gap, recognising the pivotal role of women-led businesses in Africa’s economies and addressing the significant barriers they face in accessing eco-financing opportunities.
The Founder of ImpactHER. Efe Ukala, the event would be a turning point for Africa’s women entrepreneurs.
She said: “By uniting government leaders, global financiers and visionary women entrepreneurs, we aim to unlock millions of dollars in eco-financing by 2026 and position women as the driving force of Africa’s sustainable future.
“The two-day event will feature executive roundtables with government ministers and global investors, Intensive workshops on green business certification and eco-financing, A pitch competition for green business and Interactive exhibitions showcasing successful sustainable business models.”
Ukala added that strategic partners for the conference include ToolUP Foundation (an Emmanuel C. Ukala Foundation) and ARUWA Capital, noting that ImpactHER was an impact-driven non-profit that has directly empowered and supported 152,873 women entrepreneurs across 54 African countries through business skills training, investor-readiness, vocational skills development, access to finance and markets, advocacy, and capacity building resulting in more sustainable small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).
Ukala said: “Women-led businesses reported at least a 60 per cent growth within 12 months following ImpactHER’s intervention. Our interventions have been recognized as effective by the United Nations; we were honoured at the 2023 United Nations SDG Action Awards in Rome, Italy, for our significant contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals.
“Additionally, we are recognised at the African Union SME Forum as the best support organization for women-led SMEs in Africa in 2022.”
