Hundreds of women-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have registered to participate in the Ellevate by Ecobank maiden Exhibition & Workshop. This is a special free exhibition and networking workshop being organised by Ecobank Nigeria for female entrepreneurs as part of activities to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD). The Exhibition is scheduled to take place simultaneously in Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, and Port Harcourt on Saturday March 12 from 10am. The location address of each of the venue is as follows – Lagos: Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC), 270B1 Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island; Port Harcourt: Ecobank Circular Road branch, Plot 2, Close 1 Circular Road, New GRA, Port Harcourt; Abuja: Ecobank Cadastral branch, Plot 114, Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent, Wuse 2 and Ibadan: Ecobank Challenge branch, 15, MKO Abiola Way, Ring Road, Challenge, Ibadan.
Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Carol Oyedeji, who expressed satisfaction with the level of interest and enthusiasm by female entrepreneurs across the country to participate in the exhibition and workshop, stated that it would avail them the much-needed opportunity to showcase their products and services, network and learn new techniques on how to boost their businesses.
She disclosed that the exhibitors will be displaying products ranging from fashion, beauty, makeup, hair/skin care, accessories, food, drinks and arts among others, urging members of the public to take out time to be part of the event. “It is important to let members of the public know that it is not restricted to our customers alone. It is free access for all – male & female. They are highly encouraged to come and patronize the goods and services on display. It is happening simultaneously in Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, and Abuja on Saturday March 12 from 10am. For more enquiries, visit engellevate@ecobank.com.”
Mrs. Oyedeji further said the female entrepreneurs will also have an opportunity to attend several masterclasses where they would be exposed to techniques on prioritising health as a business owner, scaling business by leveraging social media and networking as a business owner. She is optimistic that the coaching would impact positively on businesses.
Ellevate is designed to reduce gender inequality in entrepreneurship and aid equal representation for women in the formal business sector. It is aimed at empowering women-owned and women-managed businesses in Nigeria and indeed across all Ecobank’s Africa footprints, leveraging various unique financial and non-financial benefits. It promises an end-to-end partnership in which they could gain access to financial services specially tailored for them with loans at special terms and discounts. They could also get fixed deposit investments at special premium rates, zero account maintenance fee, continuous financial education, and capacity building under the Ecobank/ AUDA-NEPAD academy and other special arrangements. Also, they would have access to networking and recognition under its business clubs as well as access to markets and leveraging its various e-commerce solutions. All this in addition to giving them access to Ecobank’s unique digital payments and collections platforms like Omnilite for payments, EcobankpayNQR for contactless local and cross-border collections and modern POS channels, various lifestyle benefits including campaigns and promotions to drive Ellevate customers’ business growth and personal well-being.