Flourish Africa, a women-focused empowerment initiative founded by Apostle Folorunsho Alakija, has disbursed N300 million in grants to women entrepreneurs across Nigeria following a nationwide training and business pitch programme.
The announcement was made at the organisation’s ninth annual conference held in Lagos under the theme “She Champions,” which drew entrepreneurs, regulators, development partners and private-sector leaders.
The funding was awarded under the fourth cycle of the Flourish Africa Grants Programme, where 506 women entrepreneurs participated in an intensive business training exercise. Of that number, 409 submitted detailed business plans, 200 advanced to the pitch stage, and 100 businesses were ultimately selected to receive N3 million each after assessment by an independent panel of judges.
Speaking at the event, Alakija said the programme was deliberately structured to prioritise merit, preparedness and accountability.
“We designed this process to be rigorous because Nigerian women entrepreneurs are capable of building serious businesses. Out of 506 women trained, only 100 emerged for funding. That discipline matters because access to capital must be matched with capacity, structure and accountability if businesses are to survive and scale,” she said.
Flourish Africa noted that although Nigeria ranks among countries with the highest levels of female entrepreneurship, many women-owned businesses still struggle to access formal financing and structured growth opportunities.
The initiative seeks to close that gap by combining enterprise training with exposure to investment readiness, governance standards and financial discipline.
Beneficiaries were drawn from sectors including manufacturing, agribusiness, food processing, fashion, beauty and services. Judges involved in the selection process observed improvements in business presentations, clearer value propositions and stronger market strategies compared to previous cohorts, while also stressing the need for deeper financial literacy.
Beyond financial support, the programme emphasises governance, record-keeping and scalability, positioning participants to engage more confidently with lenders, investors and institutional markets.
Alakija added that empowering women entrepreneurs has broader economic implications.
“Women are already driving Nigeria’s informal and small-business economy. What Flourish Africa is doing is formalising that strength by equipping women with skills, governance and funding. When women succeed in business, they reinvest in their families and communities, creating a multiplier effect that drives inclusive economic growth,” she said.
With economic pressures mounting on small businesses nationwide, initiatives aimed at strengthening sustainable, women-led enterprises are expected to play an increasingly important role in job creation and grassroots economic development.
