Nestlé empowers women entrepreneurs in Nigeria

NIGERIA – Nestlé Nigeria, a regional operator of Nestlé, has expanded its flagship initiative, Nestlé Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria, to Agbara, Ogun State, with the addition of 49 new female entrepreneurs to the programme.

Since its inception, the programme has supported over 431 women nationwide, providing them with business training, product grants, and mentorship to help grow their retail operations. Participants have recorded business growth of up to 300 per cent within three months of joining the initiative.

At the launch event in Agbara recently, Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications, Public Affairs, and Sustainability Lead at Nestlé Nigeria, stated that the programme was designed to create genuine opportunities for women to expand their businesses and contribute to inclusive economic growth.

“Supporting rural women to scale their retail operations is not only beneficial for business but also essential for fostering a more inclusive economy, stronger families, and resilient communities,” she said.

In a remark, the Commercial Manager at Nestlé Nigeria, Boladale Odunlami, said: “Since 2021, over 380 women have benefited, with more than 85 per cent reporting business growth.

Each new participant receives product grants worth N200,000, which are nominated by their respective communities.

The Agbara cohort received product grants worth N200,000 each, along with training in entrepreneurship, bookkeeping, merchandising, and customer service. Each participant will also benefit from three months of one-on-one mentorship.

The programme has received support from the Agbara community, encouraging the women to maximise the opportunity.

Recently, the company partnered with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Livestock Development to enhance the country’s dairy sector through a new skills development program.

The initiative, formalised through a Letter of Intent (LOI) signed on World Milk Day 2025, aims to enhance milk production and processing across the country.

The program is designed to equip local dairy farmers with mid-level technical and vocational skills, focusing on milk hygiene, processing, farm management, and industry-relevant training.

By addressing critical gaps in Nigeria’s dairy value chain, the initiative aims to enhance food security, improve nutrition, and foster sustainable livelihoods.

Nestlé Nigeria’s Managing Director, Wassim Elhusseini, stressed the broader significance of the collaboration, noting that it represents more than a formal agreement.

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