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Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

50 rural women traders from southwest states of Nigeria, on Thursday, benefitted from Nestle empowerment project and business training programme.

The programme tagged: Nestle Nigeria project – Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria, targets 300 female Nestle retailers in Nestle value chain with the first phase covering retailers in Abuja suburbs.

Addressing participants at the event held at Aurora event centre, Osogbo, the company’s Commercial Manager, Mr Khaled Ramadan, said the beneficiaries received grant worth 300 per cent of their monthly sales and also participated in training as well as mentorship programmes which will enable them to scale up their businesses.

“We are happy to fulfil our promise of expanding Nestlé Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria to reach more women in other parts of Nigeria.

“We are pleased with the progress made by the first 50 beneficiaries who currently enjoy the training and mentorship provided by Nestlé and her implementation partners – Straplan Advisory Ltd. They are reporting faster turnover and increased revenue, as well as stronger visibility of their outlets within their locations.

“We are therefore confident that the 50 selected retailers in South West Nigeria will also reap the full benefits of the support we are providing through training, mentorship and grants,” he said.

Speaking at the second phase training in Osogbo, Osun State, Mr Phranklin Audu, Lead Trainer & Head of Partnerships at Straplan Advisory Ltd, urged the beneficiaries to seize the opportunity of the training and empowerment scheme to improve the business outlook.