At an event organized by the African Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF), businesswomen Folorunso Alakija and Stella Okoli have urged Nigerian women to move beyond having a voice and instead, create value and make a societal impact.
According to Punch Newspapers, Alakija, the vice chairman of Famfa Oil, and Okoli, founder and CEO of Emzor Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited, made this call at the forum held in Lagos. The event brought together female entrepreneurs, business leaders, and investors from across Africa.
Alakija emphasized that women must not only participate in the economy but also ‘create value’ in their chosen fields. She encouraged Nigerian women to seize opportunities for growth and development in various sectors of the economy.
Okoli echoed Alakija’s sentiments, urging Nigerian women to take advantage of the numerous opportunities available to them to make a positive impact on society. She noted that women have the potential to drive economic growth and development if they are given the necessary support and resources.
The call by Alakija and Okoli comes at a time when there is growing recognition of the role that women can play in driving economic growth and development in Nigeria. According to a 2021 report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), increasing women’s labor force participation by just 10 percentage points could boost Nigeria’s GDP by up to 23 percent.
The call by Alakija and Okoli is also timely given that Nigeria is currently marking its Women’s Month, which runs from October to November. The month aims to celebrate the achievements of Nigerian women and raise awareness about the challenges they face.
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