The 2nd edition of Africa Women Trade Conference (AWTC) hosted by Organisation of Women in International Trade (OWIT) Nigeria took place in Abuja 27-30 September. The conference themed positioning African women for the next big opportunity in the regional and global markets focused on solutions to challenges, accessible financing, leveraging on digitization to advance trade and facilitate integration of African women owned businesses in regional and international markets and the global value chains.

Blessing Irabor-Oza, OWIT President Nigeria in her welcome speech highlighted the possibility of identifying ways to tackle the inherent challenges facing women in international trade.  Irabor-Oza said “benchmark has been set with a line of incredible, brilliant and experienced experts in the field of advancing trade for women and women have come together to identify challenges they face in establishing a good trading atmosphere.”

Frida Owinga, president OWIT international, admonished women to use information to start up a move to go further and faster across borders to create an impact in the economy. Lucia Iipumbu Namibia’s minister of industrialization and trade Namibia said ” trade has huge potentials to generate income, create employment and also improve general welfare of a nation”

Hon. Maryam Yalwaji Katagum, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry Trade and Investment who was represented by Suleiman Audu, Director of Commodity and Export, urged companies and the entire industry to invest in women directly by integrating gender policies and practices with global diversity and Women’s personal safety, when determining working conditions and hours.

Ifeaoma Anyanwu, deputy director gender who represented Minister of Agriculture and rural development said the ministry has and will continue to address the challenges women face in policy dimension.

Francis Anatogu, executive secretary, National Action Committee on African Continental Free Trade Area (AFTCFTA), said there’s a need for implementation of narratives, referencing the establishment of OWIT to learn trade and build our economy to a better state.

There were interactive panel discussions, contributions and training sessions on advancing gender equality through Authentic partnership in trade, harnessing value chain advantages for women in trade, and bridging the gender gap in accessing finance in national and regional trade. Also on the sidelines of the conference were workshops and training of trainers on AFCFTA protocols. The 3 days conference which had exhibitions of made in Africa products ended with an awards evening in recognition of women and men who have contributed to the advancement of women traders in Africa.

Participants at AWTC Abuja 2022 include Ambassador Humphrey Geiseb of Namibia to Nigeria, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, chairperson NACCIMA business  women group, Hajiya Saratu Iya Aliu immediate past president of NACCIMA and FEWACCI, Nnamdi Ezera, Steve Machage ITC East Africa trade policy expert, Arne Schuffenhauer project manager ECOWAS agricultural trade (GIZ).

The second edition of Africa Women Trade Conference was hosted by OWIT Nigeria in collaboration with OWIT Nairobi, OWIT Zimbabwe, OWIT South Africa and sponsored by Cooperation germany-Ecowas(co-founded by the European union), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, The International Trade Centre (ITC), Africa Women and Youth Empowerment group (AWYEG) and the Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP).