Women have been encouraged to embrace entrepreneurship as a pathway to economic independence, job creation and national development.
The call was made by entrepreneurship development expert, Dr. Eunice Emmanuel, during a business interview on Trade FM on Friday, July 3, 2026, where she highlighted the transformative role of women-owned businesses in driving inclusive economic growth.
Dr. Emmanuel said entrepreneurship goes beyond generating income for women, describing it as a tool for building confidence, developing leadership capacity and enabling women to make meaningful contributions to their families and communities.
She noted that women-owned enterprises have evolved from survival ventures into sustainable businesses that create employment opportunities, improve access to education and healthcare, and strengthen household decision-making.
According to her, access to finance remains one of the biggest challenges facing aspiring women entrepreneurs, alongside balancing family responsibilities, limited business knowledge, inadequate mentorship and networking opportunities, as well as cultural beliefs that discourage women from taking business risks.
She observed that fear of failure often prevents women with promising business ideas from taking the first step, stressing that entrepreneurship rewards action rather than perfection.
Drawing from her personal experience, Dr. Emmanuel recounted starting her business in a modest one-room shop in Lagos, saying the support of her family, continuous learning and a strong professional network helped her overcome self-doubt and grow her enterprise.
She emphasized the importance of financial literacy, digital skills, leadership, communication and customer service, describing continuous education as essential for business success in today’s economy.
The entrepreneurship advocate also encouraged young women to develop entrepreneurial thinking by learning to solve problems, volunteering, building communication skills and understanding that failure is part of the learning process.
Identifying sectors with significant opportunities for women, Dr. Emmanuel listed technology, fashion, beauty, healthcare, education, food processing, renewable energy, logistics, financial services and other digital economy businesses, noting that technology has lowered many traditional barriers to market entry.
On business financing, she advised women not to wait for large capital before starting, explaining that many successful businesses begin with personal savings before expanding through crowdfunding, angel investors and other alternative financing options.
She further warned against common mistakes made by first-time entrepreneurs, including mixing personal and business finances, failing to conduct market research, poor record-keeping, underpricing products and attempting to manage every aspect of the business alone. She recommended seeking professional guidance from accountants, lawyers and experienced business mentors.
Speaking on work-life balance, Dr. Emmanuel urged women entrepreneurs to prioritise effectively, build reliable support systems and make time for rest and self-care while maintaining clear boundaries between business and personal finances.
She also highlighted the growing impact of technology and social media on business growth, saying digital platforms now enable women to market products, engage customers, build brands and sell to global markets directly from their mobile phones.
On mentorship, she encouraged entrepreneurs to present ideas—not just problems—to mentors, allowing experienced professionals to help refine business plans, identify opportunities and anticipate challenges before they arise.
Dr. Emmanuel called on government to strengthen support for women-owned businesses by simplifying business registration processes, expanding access to affordable financing, providing entrepreneurship training, improving infrastructure, introducing tax incentives for small businesses and increasing women’s access to government procurement opportunities.
She maintained that entrepreneurship remains one of the most effective tools for reducing poverty and unemployment because it creates jobs, generates income and stimulates long-term economic growth.
The business development expert also disclosed that the Entrepreneurship Centre for Women Development in Abuja has empowered more than 10,000 women through vocational, digital and entrepreneurship training programmes. She said the initiative, which began as a pilot project, has attracted interest from several African countries seeking to replicate the model.
Dr. Emmanuel concluded by encouraging women to believe in themselves, continue learning and “start anyway,” noting that confidence grows through action. She described investing in women entrepreneurs as one of the smartest investments any nation can make, adding that expanding opportunities for women will ultimately strengthen families, communities and the economy.
