The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has intensified efforts to expand access to non-interest financing for women-owned businesses, as part of its broader strategy to promote inclusive economic growth and entrepreneurship.
Through its Banking, Insurance and Finance Trade Group, in collaboration with the Women in Business Trade Group, the Chamber is mobilising alternative funding solutions aimed at addressing longstanding barriers faced by women entrepreneurs.
As part of this initiative, ACCI will convene a high-level stakeholder roundtable on May 8, 2026, in Abuja. The event will focus on tackling challenges associated with conventional financing, including high interest rates, stringent collateral requirements, and limited credit histories, which continue to constrain women-led enterprises.
According to ACCI President, Emeka Obegolu, the roundtable will explore non-interest financing frameworks as sustainable alternatives. He highlighted instruments such as Murabaha, Mudaraba, Ijara, and Sukuk, noting their potential to provide ethical, asset-backed, and risk-sharing financing solutions.
Obegolu reaffirmed the Chamber’s commitment to advancing women’s economic empowerment, emphasizing the critical role of women-owned enterprises in driving job creation, innovation, and long-term economic sustainability.
He added that the roundtable forms part of a broader effort to bridge the financing gap affecting women entrepreneurs by addressing structural constraints that limit access to capital.
By promoting non-interest financing models, the Chamber aims to create practical pathways for women to secure funding without the burden of high interest rates or rigid collateral conditions.
The event is expected to bring together key stakeholders, including representatives from the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Central Bank of Nigeria, Securities and Exchange Commission, African Development Bank, Bank of Industry, and Development Bank of Nigeria.
The engagement is expected to generate actionable strategies to improve access to finance for women entrepreneurs and strengthen their contribution to Nigeria’s economic development.
