The Royal Iwere Foundation (RIF), the humanitarian arm of the Warri Kingdom Monarchy, has successfully concluded the first phase of its flagship EstablishHER Entrepreneurship Fund, designed to promote women-led businesses in the Niger Delta.

The eight-week programme, supported by Stanbic IBTC Bank, engaged 140 women in an intensive learning journey rooted in neuroscience, leadership, and African realities. The training focused on reshaping mindsets, building resilience, and equipping participants to create sustainable enterprises.

According to RIF, participants reported significant growth in confidence, leadership capacity, and clarity of purpose. While 45 percent of participants could previously identify internal biases, over 81 percent now have the ability to reframe them. Confidence levels rose sharply, with 99 percent of the women affirming improved focus and mental organisation.

Her Majesty, Olori Atuwatse III, Visioner/CEO of RIF, described the programme as a transformative experience: “The transformation we have witnessed affirms our belief that true change begins from within. Phase 1 was about breaking barriers, healing identities, and rediscovering purpose. As we step into Phase 2, UpscaleHER, we carry forward a community of women not only ready to dream but equipped to build, innovate, and lead.”

The programme featured expert facilitators, including Dr. Grace Ofure Ibhakhomu, Mrs. Abosede George-Ogan, Mrs. Tale Alimi, Queen Murielle Michael-Jean, Ms. Winifred Abe, and Mr. Joshua Eze, who led sessions on personal branding, leadership, resilience, wealth creation, and intergenerational impact.

Building on the success of Phase 1, the Foundation announced that the second phase—UpscaleHER—will focus on business and digital skills, financial literacy, branding, and enterprise development. The phase will provide workshops, sector-specific training, and hands-on business development support to help participants translate identity transformation into measurable growth.

Joshua Eze, Head of Strategy at RIF and Project Lead for EstablishHER, explained: “Phase 1 dismantled internal barriers and built resilience; Phase 2 will provide the technical, digital, and financial skills needed to translate this new mindset into sustainable enterprises.”

RIF’s Chief Operations Officer, Ogechukwuabiago Ezeobiorah, added that the programme reflects the Foundation’s holistic approach—starting with identity, advancing through leadership, and culminating in business scale-up.

The initiative, according to RIF, reinforces its mission of unlocking women’s potential, strengthening local economies, and positioning the Warri Kingdom as a hub for entrepreneurial innovation in the South-South region and beyond.