By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has launched a $50 million global fund to empower women entrepreneurs in digital trade, amid rising protectionism and global economic challenges.
The Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE), Fund, a joint initiative with the International Trade Centre, aims to help women-led businesses in developing countries gain skills, resources, and networks for global digital markets.
The fund is rolling out this year in Nigeria, Jordan, Mongolia, and the Dominican Republic.
Nigeria was selected from over 600 business support organisations, with 146 women entrepreneurs chosen from 67,000 applicants, up from the planned 100 due to high-quality entries.
Sixteen women in the Booster Track will receive up to $30,000 and 18 months of technical support, while 130 in the Discovery Track will get up to $5,000 and one year of business assistance.
Beneficiaries work across sectors such as agriculture, IT, fashion, beauty, hospitality, and manufacturing.
Okonjo-Iweala urged women to “not just survive, but thrive on the world stage.”
She highlighted challenges including Nigeria’s low internet penetration, with only 45% online compared to the global average of 67%, and stressed the need for reliable electricity and cross-ministerial collaboration.
Citing digital trade’s growth from $1 trillion in 2005 to $4.25 trillion today, she noted Africa captures less than 1% of the market.
Only 30% of Nigerian tech firms are women-owned, with the country ranking 128th out of 148 in the Global Gender Gap Report.
Warning that customs duties on digital trade could limit access for small businesses, she encouraged beneficiaries to expand markets and inspire other women.
“When women succeed, communities succeed, economies succeed,” Okonjo-Iweala said. “This is not just a moral case, it is an economic case.”
