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By Ebunoluwa Sessou

Positioning African women for the next big opportunity in the regional and global markets was the focus of the 2nd edition of the Africa Women Trade Conference, AWTC, hosted by the Organisation of Women in International Trade, OWIT, Nigeria which was held in Abuja between September 27-30, 2022.

Some of the keynote speakers harped on solutions to challenges, accessible financing, leveraging on digitization to advance trade and facilitate the integration of African women-owned businesses in regional and international markets and the global value chains.

Participants at AWTC Abuja 2022 include Ambassador Humphrey Geiseb of Namibia to Nigeria, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, chairperson NACCIMA business women group, Hajiya Saratu Iya Aliu immediate past president of NACCIMA and FEWACCI, Nnamdi Ezera, Steve Machage ITC East Africa trade policy expert, Arne Schuffenhauer project manager ECOWAS agricultural trade (GIZ).

The conference was in collaboration with OWIT Nairobi, OWIT Zimbabwe, OWIT South Africa and sponsored by Cooperation Germany-Ecowas(co-founded by the European union), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, The International Trade Centre (ITC), Africa Women and Youth Empowerment group (AWYEG) and the Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP).

Nigeria’s Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, Maryam Yalwaji Katagum, who was represented by Suleiman Audu, Director of Commodity and Export, urged companies and the entire industry to invest in women directly by integrating gender policies and practices with global diversity and Women’s personal safety when determining working conditions and hours.

Deputy Director Gender, who represented Minister of Agriculture and rural development Ifeaoma Anyanwu, said the ministry has and will continue to address the challenges women face in policy dimension.

Executive secretary, National Action Committee on African Continental Free Trade Area (AFTCFTA), Francis Anatogu, also stated that, “There is a need for implementation of narratives, referencing the establishment of OWIT to learn trade and build our economy to a better state.

Meanwhile, Minister of industrialization and trade Namibia, Lucia Iipumbu, reiterated, “Trade has huge potentials to generate income, create employment and also improve general welfare of a nation”

Earlier in her welcome speech, OWIT President, Nigeria, Blessing Irabor-Oza, highlighted the possibility of identifying ways to tackle the inherent challenges facing women in international trade.

Irabor-Oza said “benchmark has been set with a line of incredible, brilliant and experienced experts in the field of advancing trade for women and women have come together to identify challenges they face in establishing a good trading atmosphere.”

However, President OWIT international, Frida Owinga, admonished women to use information to start up a move to go further and faster across borders to create an impact in the economy.