The Sterling One Foundation and Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), with support from Agence Française de Développement (AFD), are empowering Nigerian women entrepreneurs for investment readiness, structured mentorship, and market entry support.
The partners recently convened a ‘Demo Day’ with investors, ecosystem leaders, and women entrepreneurs for the Women Investment Readiness Accelerator (WIRA) programme in Lagos.
The highlight of the demo day was the pitch showcase, where entrepreneurs presented their refined, scalable business models to investors, financial institutions, and business support organizations.
The WIRA programme was launched to address systemic challenges that limit the growth of women-owned enterprises in Nigeria, including restricted access to finance, limited structured mentorship, and insufficient market entry support.
Through WIRA, DBN and Sterling One Foundation are directly tackling these barriers by ensuring women entrepreneurs gain the resources, capacity, and visibility they need to thrive.
“At DBN, we remain committed to ensuring that women-led MSMEs have access not just to financing, but to the knowledge, networks, and market opportunities that enable sustainability and growth,” Tony Okpanachi, MD/CEO, DBN, stated.
He emphasised the importance of sustained investment in women-led enterprises. According to him, the demo day is a clear step forward in strengthening Nigeria’s entrepreneurial landscape.
“What we witnessed here today confirms that investing in women entrepreneurs yields measurable economic and social impact. Their businesses are innovative, resilient, and positioned for scale,” Okpanachi stated.
According to him, the demo day underscored DBN’s central role in strengthening Nigeria’s MSME ecosystem, particularly for women founders who remain critical drivers of economic growth.
Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation, stated that the partners are leveraging WIRA to close the financing and opportunity gap for women entrepreneurs.
She highlighted the significance of creating platforms that elevate women’s business leadership and visibility. “Today’s pitches are proof of what happens when women are empowered to take up space and lead boldly.
“The women we celebrated today are solutions-builders. They are tackling real challenges with creativity and determination. But potential alone is not enough, support, connections, and capital are essential,” Ibekwe stated.
She added that the WIRA programme remains aligned with broader national and global goals to accelerate gender-inclusive development in Nigeria.
