Nestlé Nigeria Empowers 50 Zaria Women Retailers with Business Training, Product Grants

 Nestlé Nigeria Empowers 50 Zaria Women Retailers with Business Training, Product Grants

ZARIA, KADUNA STATE — Nestlé Nigeria has marked the fifth anniversary and 10th edition of its Empowering Rural Women Initiative by supporting 50 women retailers in Zaria, Kaduna State, with practical business training and grants in the form of Nestlé products valued at three times their existing stock.

The intervention is part of Nestlé Nigeria’s continued effort to strengthen women-led businesses and improve the livelihoods of rural entrepreneurs through access to business knowledge, mentorship and resources.

The 50 beneficiaries will also undergo a three-month mentorship programme aimed at helping them apply the skills acquired during the training, effectively manage their increased inventory and build stronger and more sustainable businesses.

Launched in 2021, the Empowering Rural Women Initiative targets women retailers who have demonstrated the determination to grow their businesses but face limited access to training, mentorship and resources needed for expansion.

Prior to the Zaria edition, the programme had supported 432 women entrepreneurs across different communities in Nigeria. With the addition of the 50 Zaria beneficiaries, the number of women reached by the initiative has risen to 482.

Nestlé Nigeria said programme monitoring showed that more than 80 per cent of participants from previous cohorts had sustained and grown their businesses beyond the initial stock support received through the initiative.

According to the company, many of the beneficiaries now operate at significantly higher levels than when they joined the programme, recording increased inventories, turnover and customer bases, as well as improved financial and business-management practices.

Speaking at the event, Commercial Manager, Nestlé Nigeria, Boladale Odunlami, said women play a significant role in the company’s retail network and are critical to connecting its products with consumers across communities.

“Women account for approximately 60% of the retailers in Nestlé Nigeria’s retail network. Every day, they help us reach consumers, build trust within communities and keep our business moving.

“Their contribution is significant, and we value them as important business partners. The Empowering Rural Women Initiative reflects our belief that the women who contribute to our growth should have the opportunity to grow with us,” he said.

Odunlami added that investing in the women’s skills and businesses would help increase their earning potential while strengthening the company’s retail network.

The Zaria training covered key areas including bookkeeping, merchandising, stock management, financial management and customer service.

During the three-month mentorship period, mentors will provide practical guidance to the beneficiaries as they manage their increased stock, implement the knowledge gained and reinvest profits to support further business growth.

The participants were also encouraged to learn from one another and develop relationships that could provide mutual support beyond the formal mentorship programme.

Reflecting on the five-year journey of the initiative, Nestlé Nigeria’s Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability Lead, Victoria Uwadoka, said the long-term impact of the programme was more important than the initial support provided to beneficiaries.

“The true measure of this initiative is not the support we provide on the day, but what the women go on to build with it. Five years on, we are seeing women sustain their growth, expand their businesses and create greater economic security for themselves and their families,” Uwadoka said.

She described the initiative as an example of Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value approach, noting that stronger businesses and improved livelihoods among the beneficiaries also contribute to a stronger retail network for the company.

The Zaria edition was implemented with the support of Nestlé Nigeria’s implementation partners and local distributors, whose continued engagement will support the beneficiaries throughout the mentorship period.

Nestlé Nigeria said it would build on the progress recorded over the past five years as the Empowering Rural Women Initiative enters its next phase, with the aim of reaching and supporting more women entrepreneurs to develop stronger and more sustainable businesses.