As part of their commitment to driving inclusive growth and economic empowerment for women across Nigeria, Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), in collaboration with Sterling One Foundation, and with support from Agence Française de Développement (AFD), has launched the Women Investment Readiness Accelerator (WIRA) program.
This innovative initiative is designed to help women-owned businesses gain the skills, resources, and access to funding they need to grow, scale, and succeed in today’s competitive business environment.
The WIRA program is a strategic response to the challenges faced by women-led enterprises, including difficulty accessing finance, limited mentorship, and inadequate business support services. While these businesses demonstrate significant growth potential, many still struggle to secure funding and the expertise they need to scale. WIRA aims to bridge this gap by offering tailored training, mentorship, market linkages, and guidance on accessing institutional funding.
Speaking on the launch, Dr. Tony Okpanachi, Managing Director/CEO of Development Bank of Nigeria Plc, stated:
“At DBN, we believe that empowering women entrepreneurs is not just the right thing to do, it’s smart economics. With the support of Agence Française de Développement (AFD), programs like WIRA can provide the guidance, mentorship, and access to capital that women-led businesses need to thrive, scale, and create lasting impact across Nigeria’s economy.”
Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO of Sterling One Foundation, added:
“Women are a powerful force in Nigeria’s economy, and their success benefits us all. Yet across Africa, women entrepreneurs face a $42 billion annual financing gap, receive less than 10% of total investment despite owning nearly 60% of SMEs, and secure only around 5% of venture capital when led by female CEOs. With WIRA, we’re going beyond just helping them stay afloat. We are giving them the tools, connections, and confidence they need to grow, compete, and succeed on a bigger stage.
With its focus on practical training, mentorship, and market linkages, WIRA represents a unique opportunity for women entrepreneurs to strengthen their businesses, unlock new growth potential, and play a bigger role in Nigeria’s economic development.
Interested participants can apply and get more information by visiting: onefoundation.ng/wira
About Sterling One Foundation
Sterling One Foundation (SOF) is a registered non-profit focused on tackling the root causes of poverty in Nigeria and Africa through interventions and social impact programmes across three critical sectors: health, education, and climate action & food security. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are integrated as a cross-cutting priority across all our programming areas. The Foundation’s programmes adopt a central theme of prioritizing partnerships for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
For more information, visit onefoundation.ng
About the Development Bank of Nigeria
The Development Bank of Nigeria was set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) in collaboration with global development partners to address the major financing challenges facing Micro, Small, and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria.
Its objective is to alleviate financing constraints faced by MSMEs and small corporates in Nigeria through the provision of financing and partial credit guarantees to eligible financial intermediaries on a market-conforming and fully financially sustainable basis.
