The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has assured beneficiaries of the $50 million Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund that the first tranche of grants will be disbursed in the first quarter of 2026, following the completion of ongoing capacity-building and compliance processes.
The assurance was given at a town hall meeting for WEIDE Fund beneficiaries held in Abuja over the weekend.
The session reviewed progress recorded since the initiative was launched in August 2025 and outlined next steps toward funding and market access for participating businesses.
The WEIDE Fund is a global initiative of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) aimed at empowering women-led SMEs in developing countries, particularly Nigeria.
The programme provides training, finance, and access to digital trade opportunities to help small businesses scale into export-ready, globally competitive enterprises. In Nigeria, 146 women entrepreneurs were selected during the launch phase.
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Speaking at the meeting, NEPC’s chief executive officer, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, urged beneficiaries to maximise the opportunities offered by the programme. She said the engagement was designed to assess achievements so far, identify gaps, and strengthen support systems to ensure participants are better positioned to grow their businesses sustainably
Mrs Ayeni noted that beneficiaries have undergone intensive capacity-building facilitated by top-tier coaches deployed shortly after the official launch by the WTO Director-General, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The training covered financial literacy, bookkeeping, leadership, succession planning, and digital tools—skills she said are critical for women-led SMEs seeking to compete and expand in global markets.
