By JKNewsMedia Reporter
FOCUS ON women-led enterprises moved into view as investors, ecosystem leaders and high-potential founders gathered in Lagos for the Women Investment Readiness Accelerator Demo Day (WIRADD), an event centred on strengthening women owned businesses and expanding their access to growth opportunities.
The Demo Day, held on November 21, 2025, in Ilupeju, Lagos, was convened by the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) with support from Agence Française de Développement and the Sterling One Foundation.
The gathering placed attention on the future of women-led enterprises in Nigeria and highlighted ongoing efforts to support founders operating across multiple sectors of the economy.
The event underscored the DBN’s role in strengthening the country’s micro, small and medium enterprise ecosystem, with particular emphasis on women founders described as critical drivers of economic growth.
Participants included investors, ecosystem leaders and women entrepreneurs identified as having high growth potential.
The Demo Day marked the culmination of an intensive accelerator cycle funded and championed by the DBN.
It also featured capacity building, mentorship and hands on business development support provided to women entrepreneurs operating in agriculture, food processing, waste management, retail, technology, fashion and other impact driven sectors.
A central feature of the event was the pitch showcase, where participating entrepreneurs presented refined and scalable business models.
The presentations were made to investors, financial institutions and business support organisations in attendance, creating direct engagement between founders and potential partners.
For several entrepreneurs, the pitch session represented a pathway to funding, partnerships and expansion opportunities.
These outcomes were linked to the DBN’s continued investment in building what was described at the event as a stronger and more equitable entrepreneurial landscape.
The Women Investment Readiness Accelerator programme was launched to address challenges identified as limiting the growth of women owned enterprises in Nigeria.
These challenges include restricted access to finance, limited structured mentorship and insufficient support for market entry.
Organisers stated that these factors continue to affect the ability of women entrepreneurs to scale their businesses.
Through the programme, the DBN and the Sterling One Foundation said they are working to tackle these barriers by ensuring women entrepreneurs gain access to resources, capacity building and visibility.
The Demo Day was presented as a key outcome of that effort, bringing together stakeholders from across the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Speaking during the event, Dr Tony Okpanachi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the DBN Plc, said the presentations demonstrated the impact of investing in women entrepreneurs.
He said, “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. 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.
This Demo Day is a clear step forward in strengthening Nigeria’s entrepreneurial landscape.”
Also speaking at the Demo Day, Olapeju Ibekwe, Chief Executive Officer of the Sterling One Foundation, spoke on the importance of platforms that elevate women’s business leadership and visibility.
She said, “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. Through WIRA, our goal has been to close the financing and opportunity gap by providing more than training, we provided guidance, confidence, and access.
Today’s pitches are proof of what happens when women are empowered to take up space and lead boldly.”
Investor partners and business support organisations present at the event acknowledged the quality and viability of the enterprises showcased.
Organisers said several founders advanced to follow up funding and advisory discussions following the pitch sessions.
The WIRADD programme was described as remaining aligned with broader national and global goals focused on gender inclusive development.
Women were described at the event as owning nearly 60 percent of Nigeria’s small and medium enterprises while receiving disproportionately lower access to capital.
Against that backdrop, the DBN’s continued investment in initiatives such as the Women Investment Readiness Accelerator (WIRA) was presented as a demonstration of its commitment to unlocking the economic potential of women entrepreneurs and advancing inclusive growth across Nigeria.
