In a bid to support women and boost the growth of Medium, Small, and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria, AXA Mansard, a renowned global leader in insurance and asset management, has extended assistance to three female-owned MSMEs with business grants totaling 1.4 million naira to enhance their operations.
These initiatives come after the International Women’s Day Pitch Competition, a collaborative effort between AXA Mansard and SME 100 Africa in Lagos, where these three enterprises emerged victorious.
Olusesan Ogunyooye, Head of Marketing at AXA Mansard, expressed the company’s dedication to empowering female entrepreneurs in Nigeria. He stated, “The business pitch competition, aimed at supporting female entrepreneurs in Nigeria, is another way AXA is showing its commitment to helping women and stimulating the MSME sector in Nigeria.”
Ogunyooye highlighted the importance of the competition in providing a platform for women from diverse backgrounds to showcase their innovative ideas across various sectors such as food, technology, fashion, and fragrance. He emphasized the lively atmosphere of the event, characterized by enthusiasm, excitement, and a strong sense of community.
Moreover, Ogunyooye stressed the importance of investing in women, aligning with AXA’s overarching purpose of advancing human progress. He emphasized that supporting the economic empowerment of women is crucial in mitigating risks associated with their future.
“Women are very important in the socio-economic interplay. But, more important are women who run MSMEs. We are all aware that MSMEs are the lifeblood of any economy. “So, the more of them we empower, the more jobs we can create, the more wealth can be distributed. So, this grant for us at AXA is the right thing to do in a lot of ways and we are looking to do more for the Nigerian women and MSMEs”, remarked Ogunyooye.
The winners of the competition, Lawon Ajoke, Ngozi Ada Onyekwelu, and Taiwo Esther, were awarded grants to propel their ventures forward. Calcium Hub, founded by Lawon Ajoke, secured the grand prize of one million naira, while IbbieGold SmartCards and Damseth Enterprise, founded by Ngozi Ada Onyekwelu and Taiwo Esther respectively, received two hundred thousand naira each.
AXA Mansard remains committed to providing innovative financial solutions that cater to the evolving needs of individuals and businesses, including insurance, asset management, health insurance, and pension fund administration, thus facilitating their progress and success in daily endeavors.