LAGOS, Nigeria, 25 November 2025 – /African Media Agency (AMA)/ – African Business Stories (ABS) has officially rolled out its first-ever Scale Ready Bootcamp in Lagos, marking a major step toward strengthening the pipeline of women-led enterprises capable of scaling across Nigeria, Africa, and global markets.
The initiative, held on 7 November 2025, followed a high-level morning Roundtable at Microsoft Nigeria themed “Positioning for Scale in Nigeria and Beyond.” This gathering brought together influential voices from government, finance, and the private sector, including Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade & Investment, Hon. Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem; Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, MFR, Co-Founder of Aluko & Oyebode; senior officials from the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment; representatives from Afreximbank; Microsoft West Africa; and seasoned business leaders.
ABS Founder Akaego Okoye emphasized that the Bootcamp was intentionally designed as an actionable follow-up to insights shared during the Roundtable discussions. She explained that the forum exposed persistent structural challenges—such as limited financing access, inadequate digital capacity, and cross-border trade barriers—that constrain the growth trajectory of many women-owned enterprises. “The Bootcamp is our direct response,” she noted. “It equips women founders with the strategic, financial, and technological capabilities required to scale sustainably and compete globally.”
Twenty carefully selected women-led businesses from sectors such as manufacturing, agrifood, logistics, technology, services, and consumer goods participated in the Bootcamp. The program was built on four foundational pillars essential for scaling: Digital Readiness, Finance Readiness, Trade Readiness under AfCFTA, and Founder Readiness. Each track provided hands-on guidance designed to help entrepreneurs strengthen business systems, improve visibility, expand market reach, and prepare for investment.
Training was facilitated by experts from organizations including Shecluded, Afreximbank, the AfCFTA Secretariat, and Data Science Nigeria (DSN). Participants received detailed lessons on investor expectations, export standards, digital optimization strategies, cross-border trade procedures, and the use of data to drive operational efficiency and growth.
During the Roundtable, Hon. Ambrose-Medebem reaffirmed Lagos State’s active role in empowering MSMEs through financing programs, export support, and job creation initiatives. She described women-led businesses as “vital to the productivity and economic resilience of Lagos State.” In his remarks, Mr. Oyebode highlighted the urgent need for policy consistency, broader access to capital, and stronger partnerships between public and private institutions to unlock the full potential of women-owned enterprises. Representing Afreximbank, Mr. Ody Akhanoba underscored the Bank’s commitment to promoting women in trade and improving SME readiness for the opportunities available under the AfCFTA.
Okoye concluded by affirming that the Bootcamp is only the beginning of a broader continental mission: “Lagos is our starting point. We are building a robust, investment-ready pipeline of African women founders who are equipped for digital growth, international expansion, and long-term sustainability.”
The Bootcamp received support from Microsoft Nigeria, Shecluded, the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), Afreximbank, the AfCFTA Secretariat, and DSN Nigeria.
