TA Community, a non-governmental organisation supported by the Mastercard Foundation, focused on community engagement and capacity-building, has launched the Tech4Market Women (T4MW) project in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Unveiled on Wednesday at the Ilorin Innovation Hub, the initiative is designed to empower market women through vocational skills training, digital literacy, and financial inclusion, particularly targeting women including persons with disabilities.
Speaking at the official launch, Tunmishe Johnson, Programme Director, explained that the T4MW project focuses on strategic training, mentorship and community engagement.
“T4MW will support women in informal markets to grow resilient, digitally enabled businesses while also creating opportunities for younger apprentices to learn and thrive,” he said.
Johnson noted that many women in business lack access to financial services such as bank loans and essential tools for growth.
He stated that TA Community aims to bridge this gap by empowering small businesses through resource provision, training, and inclusive financial opportunities.
He further explained that Kwara State was selected as a key entry point due to its vibrant market structures, active women’s networks, and the State Government’s commitment to inclusive development.
“The launch in Ilorin marks the beginning of T4MW’s phased rollout across multiple states in Nigeria. It focuses on public presentation of the project’s vision, stakeholder engagement for grassroots mobilisation, onboarding of key partners, including market leaders, government agencies, and NGOs and the selection of participants for the first cohort,” he added.
TA Community, according to him, has previously trained over 86 women in fish farming and processing, collected more than 3,000 textile materials for sustainable fashion initiatives, and continues to offer mentorship and startup support.
Declaring the programme open, Kayode Alabi, Deputy Governor of Kwara State, stated that the initiative aligns with Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s agenda of supporting women and youth empowerment.
He reiterated the State Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
Delivering the keynote address, Damilola Yusuf-Adelodun, the State Commissioner for Business, Innovation and Technology, represented by Salaudeen Bola, Director of Industries, commended the initiative, noting that equipping market women with digital tools would enhance their participation in e-commerce and position them as active players in the digital economy.
“This initiative will enable women to compete and succeed in digital marketing while contributing to sustainable economic growth,” she said.
Also speaking, Folashade Oluwakemi, Commissioner for Women Affairs, represented by Abdulrasheed Ubandawaki, Director of Finance and Supply emphasised the importance of equipping both women and men in business with the right tools to gain control over their investments.
“Empowering women is empowering the nation. Financial literacy leads to financial freedom, and capacity building fosters business growth. One of the major challenges faced by business owners is access to microfinance loans. This programme will help them scale their ventures,” she noted.
With 200 business owners expected to benefit from the T4MW project, the urged participants to take full advantage of the opportunities provided for inclusive economic development.
The programme had in attendance of Iyaloja, Babaloja and several business owners.
