How Nestle Nigeria Empowers 282 Women In Nigeria In 22 Months

Beneficiaries of the project and some trainers in Ikorodu during the induction.

By EDET UDOH

A well-known Ghanaian scholar and Africa’s greatest educators of the 19th century, Dr. James Emmanuel Kwegyir-Aggrey (1875-1927), had a popular quote attributed to him, thus: “If you educate a man, you educate an individual. But if you educate a woman, you educate a nation.”

This underscore the importance of empowering a woman economically and through education which often create rippling effects that positively affect communities in bigger and more endearing ways.

Women empowerment in Nigeria is an economic process that involves empowering Nigerian women as a poverty reduction measure. Empowerment is the development of women in term of politics, social and economic strength in nation development.

Nestle Nigeria as a good corporate citizen, over the years, has involved in various initiatives aimed at educating and empowering the women to be economically and financially independent.

In the last 22 months, a total of 282 women have been empowered across five geopolitical zones of the country by Nestle Nigeria through its women empowerment programme – Nestlé Nigeria’s Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria Project, a programme through which Nestlé is helping rural women in Nigeria build financial security to improve their standard of living.

The programme which was launched in August 2021 is aimed at helping beneficiaries scale up their businesses and sustain the new level of up to three times the size of their existing businesses through training, mentorship, and grants in form of Nestlé products.

Beneficiaries of the programme are female retailers in Nestlé Nigeria’s value chain.

The programme is structured to allow each beneficiary receives grants valued at 300% of their monthly sales in form of Nestlé products, business training and a three-month mentorship programme.

Each beneficiary is linked to a mentor for one-on-one coaching over the three months, to ensure their success.

Indeed, the programme has significantly impacted the life of many women in Nigeria.

After the launch of the first phase of the programme in August 2021 in Abuja where the first batch of 50 women retailers were selected, the programme was shifted to the South-Western Nigeria.

At the launch of the second phase of the programme in Oshogbo, Ede and Ilesha Osun State in November 2021, another 50 women were inducted bringing the total number of women so far reached to 100.

In February 2022 in Nsukka and Obolo-Afor, both in Enugu State, where the programme was launched, additional 50 women retailers were reached, bringing the number of beneficiaries then to 150.

Again, in June and September 2022, the programme added 50 more women each in Port Harcourt, South-South and Bauchi State in the North-Eastern region respectively bringing the number of beneficiaries to 250.

In May, 2023, at Ikorodu, Lagos State, additional 32 women were inducted to join the existing 250 beneficiaries thereby increasing the total number of women so far empowered under the programme to 282.

Speaking at the launch of the first phase of the project in Abuja in August 2021, Nestlé Nigeria’s Commercial Manager, Mr. Khaled Ramadan said: “Nestlé Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria” is aimed at making significant contributions to the well-being of the 50 retailers selected in this first phase, who already have a business relationship with Nestlé.

“We are confident that the support we will be provided through training, mentorship and grants will go a long way towards helping them improve their standards of living by increasing their sales outputs. We are excited to see the start of the implementation of this first phase of the project and look forward to the eventual scale up to reach more women across Nigeria.

“Nestlé Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria is designed to help the selected retailers scale up their businesses and sustain the new level of growth up to three times the size of their existing business. Training will be provided by our implementation partners with a track record of helping rural dwellers access information and skills to improve their standards of living. In addition, the retailers will be linked to one on one mentors for additional guidance and consistent support to ensure their success,” he added.

Also speaking at the event, Phranklin Audu, Lead Trainer & Head of Partnerships at Straplan Advisory Ltd, said, “For Nestle, the overarching goal is to ensure that these 50 selected participants are able to triple their income and ultimately improve their livelihoods . Selected from 3 area districts in Abuja- Kubwa, Nyanya and Gwagwalada, the rural traders will undergo a period of business coaching and mentoring to help them strengthen their business process in a bid to scale their businesses. We commend Nestlé for such a laudable project and hope the project is sustained and replicated across other states and regions of the country.

During the event to flag off the project, one of the beneficiaries Mrs. Clementina Irandi said” I am very happy and I do not know how to express myself for being one of the 50 women chosen to participate in this empowerment by Nestlé. The free goods and training we received today will be particularly helpful in taking my business to the next level. I thank Nestlé for everything they have done for me and my family.”

Some beneficiaries of the project showing their display as part of their induction program in Ikorodu.

At the induction of the thirty-two new beneficiaries in Ikorodu in May 2023, Nestlé Nigeria’s Commercial Manager, Mr. Khaled Ramadan said, “We are pleased with the success of the 250 beneficiaries of Nestlé Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria and are delighted by the opportunity to include 32 more today.

With this addition, 282 women across five geopolitical zones of Nigeria now have a unique opportunity to scale up their businesses by 300%. We are confident that the new beneficiaries will also transform their businesses, making the best use of the support Nestlé is providing through training, mentorship and grants in form of Nestlé products.”

Mr. Phranklin Audu, Head, Partnerships & Training at FDConsults, implementation partner of Nestlé Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria Project said, “As an NGO focused on empowering people to improve their livelihoods, we are thrilled by the impact of this project on rural communities. Over 80% of the beneficiaries have seen their incomes grow and can support their families better.

“One of them is Blessing Abayi, a single mother from Bauchi. Blessing used to struggle with paying her children’s school fees, but after three months in the programme, she told us that for the first time, she paid the fees in full and on time, thanks to her growing business. We are inspired by her story and others like it.”

FDConsults is an NGO with a record of equipping businesspeople in rural areas with the information and skills they need to increase their household income and improve their standards of living.

The inclusion in Nestlé Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria was well received by the beneficiaries in Ikorodu.

One of them, Mrs. Olubunmi Adeoye, expressed her gratitude to Nestlé for the opportunity to be part of the project. “I am so happy that Nestlé chose me to benefit from this programme. It is a wonderful opportunity,” She said.

Another beneficiary, Mrs. Bukola Ajala, praised Nestlé for the empowerment and the free goods they provided, saying, “I have not seen any empowerment like this before. I know I am going to the next level.”

Nestlé Nigeria Commercial Manager, Khaled Ramadan addressing the beneficiaries

Over 80% of beneficiaries have reported an increase of 100% to 200% in their business growth within three months of joining the programme.

The best performing beneficiary, Mrs. Oghenetega Delight Jombo, of Jombo Stores, Port Harcourt, reached a business growth of 675% within six months of joining the programme, and has sustained a monthly turnover of over N547,623.67 since.

Nestlé’s Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Victoria Uwadoka, in a statement made available to the media, reiterates the company’s commitment to building thriving communities by improving household incomes.

“Nestlé Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria Project is one of the ways through which Nestlé Nigeria is Creating Shared Value along her value chain,” she said.

Nestlé Nigeria’s expectation is that the business owners would leverage the improvement to better their living standards, including food, shelter, and the education of their children.

They are also expected to use the knowledge gained through various trainings and mentorships to improve the fortune of their business as well as empower other women.