Aisha Babangida, founder of Women Enterprise Alliance, has called for increased empowerment of women entrepreneurs and sustainable small and medium enterprises across Nigeria.

She made the call on Tuesday in Abuja.

She also stressed the need to bridge the gap between policies and practice for SMEs to fully harness the country’s business potential.

According to her, entrepreneurs must gain practical solutions and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing SMEs in the country today.

She added that “The Women Enterprise Alliance is set to host its fifth annual conference to bring together leading voices in policy, business, and development to champion the future of SMEs and women entrepreneurs across Nigeria.

“Nigeria’s SMEs are the powerhouse of the nation’s economy, contributing significantly to employment, innovation, and community development. However, persistent challenges, including high operating costs, complex taxation, and restrictive regulatory environments, continue to hinder their full potential.

“These barriers are especially pronounced for women-led enterprises, and this year’s WenA conference is designed to move beyond conversation to actionable policy implementation and practical tools to enable SME growth.”

Ms Babangida said it was pertinent to bring together high-level policy dialogues and hands-on networking to create sustainable pathways for entrepreneurs and advance inclusive economic development.

She explained that WenA, in partnership with UN Women, would present a consolidated policy roadmap with recommendations and strategies to address cost and tax challenges for SMEs.

She highlighted that the forthcoming WenA conference would provide insights towards scaling SMEs through cost-reduction reforms, address fiscal reforms, and offer ways to translate policy into practice for sustainable SME growth.

According to her, the conference will provide in-depth sessions on simplifying Nigeria’s tax regime, focusing on tax harmonisation and the creation of a supportive tax environment for SMEs.

“The conference will honour outstanding SMEs and stakeholders, including the prestigious Most Scalable Business in North-Central Nigeria Award and certificates of excellence for innovation and impact.

“There will be dedicated sessions for policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, and development partners to forge new partnerships and catalyse business growth,” she added.

(NAN)