Tag Archives: Lagos State

AMA, Business, Education, Technology

African Business Stories Launches Scale-Ready Bootcamp in Lagos to Empower Women-Led Enterprises

MaraviPost
Cohort 1 of the ABS Scale Ready Bootcamp

LAGOS, Nigeria, 25 November2025-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- In a move to significantly strengthen the pipeline of scalable women-led businesses in Africa, African Business Stories (ABS) launched its inaugural Scale Ready Bootcamp in Lagos.

The Bootcamp, which took place on 7 November 2025, followed a high-level morning Roundtable hosted at Microsoft Nigeria under the theme “Positioning for Scale in Nigeria and Beyond.” The Roundtable convened policymakers, financiers, and private-sector leaders, including Hon. Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade & Investment; Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, MFR, Co-Founder, Aluko & Oyebode; senior representatives from the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment; Afreximbank; Microsoft West Africa; and members of the private sector.

From Left to Right: Ody Akhanoba, Director SME Development Afreximbank, Nnonye Ujam, Director Government Affairs West Africa, Microsoft, Hon. Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade & Investment, Akaego Okoye, Founder African Business Stories, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, MFR, Co-Founder, Aluko & Oyebode, Nneka Chime, Chief Strategy & Operations Officer, UAC Nigeria PLC and Teju Abisoye, SA to Minister of Trade & Investment and National Coordinator NATEP

ABS Founder, Akaego Okoye, noted that the Bootcamp builds directly on insights from the Roundtable. “We had a powerful dialogue about the structural barriers that continue to limit the growth of women-led businesses. The Bootcamp is our practical response, equipping founders with the financial, digital and trade capabilities required to scale in real terms.”

The ABS Scale Ready Bootcamp hosted twenty selected women-led enterprises operating in sectors including manufacturing, agrifood, logistics, technology, services, and consumer goods. The curriculum covered four critical pillars of business scale: Digital Readiness, Finance Readiness, Trade Readiness under AfCFTA, and Founder Readiness.

Facilitators included experts from Shecluded, Afreximbank, the AfCFTA Secretariat and Data Science Nigeria (DSN), who delivered practical sessions on investment readiness, export certification, cross-border trade frameworks, digital optimization and data-driven operations.

Feyisayo Alayande, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) addressing the Cohort

At the Roundtable, Hon. Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem highlighted Lagos State’s commitment to supporting MSMEs with financing, export support and job creation, describing women-led enterprises as “critical to Lagos’ economic engine.” Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, in his remarks, stressed the importance of policy alignment, capital access, and institutional partnerships in unlocking the growth potential of women-owned businesses. Representing Afreximbank, Mr. Ody Akhanoba reaffirmed the Bank’s focus on supporting women in trade, strengthening investment readiness and enabling SMEs to leverage continental opportunities under the AfCFTA.

“Lagos is the beginning,” Okoye added. “We are building a strong, visible pipeline of fundable, export-ready, digital-ready African women founders. The goal is to position them for investment and cross-border expansion.”

The Bootcamp was supported by Microsoft Nigeria, Shecluded, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), Afreximbank, the AfCFTA Secretariat, and DSN Nigeria.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of African Business Stories

About African Business Stories (ABS)

ABS is a platform committed to accelerating the growth of women-led businesses across Africa. Through storytelling, high-level convenings, and capacity-building programmes, ABS ensures women entrepreneurs are positioned to lead Africa’s economic transformation.

Media Contact

African Business Stories

info@africanbusinessstories.com

www.africanbusinessstories.com

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Business, Regional, Travel & Tourism

Beggars and hawkers banned in Nigeria’s Lagos state

Maravi Post Reporter 1 Comment

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Street begging and hawking has been banned in Nigeria’s Lagos state as officials make efforts to bring an end to the menace.

A special taskforce has now been formed by the state authorities to ensure that beggars and hawkers do not roam the streets.

Authorities have linked the activities of some of the beggars and hawkers to crime in the city as they are reported to be assaulting and robbing city residents.

Police recently raised alarm over criminals disguising themselves as beggars and attacking Lagos residents.

According to a state official in charge of youth and social development, Olusegun Dawodu the beggars on the streets were now a nuisance to other citizens.

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Dawodu told journalists that the special taskforce will begin operations in the next few days.

Across the major streets in Nigeria, there are instances were beggars including children harass road users asking for money.

Dawodu said these beggars and hawkers had been transported from other parts of the country to the city.

“The activities of these people in our streets impede human movement and vehicular traffic, constitute environmental nuisance and security threats,” Mr Dawodu is quoted by local media as saying.

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Authorities are worried about the impact of such a menace especially on the lives of children who are being forced into the act.

Kenya: Street hawker dragged on road for not giving bribe

Source: Africafeeds.com

Source: Africa Feeds

Lifestyle, Regional

Lagos APC Gubernatorial candidate spotted at Prophet TB Joshua’s Synagogue

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Prophet TB Joshua and Babajide Sanwo Olu
Babajide Sanwo-Olu spotted at Prophet TB Joshua in Synagogue (Photo)

The Lagos APC Gubernatorial candidate, Babajide Sanwo Olu has been spotted with international acclaimed Prophet TB Joshua inside the Synagogue Church of All Nations
The lawmaker reportedly visited the cleric on Tuesday, January 15th, 2019.

Though the purpose of the visit is currently unknown, there are speculations that the visit might be in connection with prayers and help concerning the forthcoming election.

This is coming after Lagosians turned their backs against Sanwo-Olu and Agbaje and sang praises of ADP candidate, Babatunde Gbadamosi after an inspiring debate on the platform with other Guber candidates

According to many Social media users, Gbadamosi deserves to be not just the governor of Lagos state but the president of Nigeria given his sane and precise ideas for Lagos.

The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has highlighted the investment opportunities in Lagos State at a session with selected Swiss investors in Geneva, Switzerland.