In Nigeria’s informal economy, in which resilience represents currency and enterprise often begins as a last resort, women remain the quiet drivers of commerce. That, actually, is not a new reality. From market stalls in Lagos to the umbrella markets in Port Harcourt, the fabrics market in Kano, and all the way to smallholder farms in Enugu, the contributions of women sustain households and local economies alike. Despite the apparent industry involvement and the history acknowledged across generations, the road to access to finance, digital tools, and structured business knowledge remains bumpy for these women.
This is one of the cardinal problems that the Airtel Africa Foundation seeks to solve. Launched in 2024, the foundation represents a strategic shift in how corporate social responsibility (CSR) is conceived and delivered across the continent. Rather than disjointed interventions, the foundation’s model is anchored on impact-driven programmes woven into a combination of financial inclusion, digital literacy, and enterprise support.
As part of this mission, the foundation’s flagship programme in Nigeria, “Empower Her,” reflects this philosophy in planning, design, and execution. It began with a two-day financial literacy and micro-enterprise training at the Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in early April and is planned to extend to Oyo, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Kano, and the Federal Capital Territory.
Across the towns and six states, the initiative is expected to empower a total of 1,950 women. The structure of the programme is deliberately practical, with participants introduced to financial concepts such as budgeting, savings, and responsible borrowing. They will also be trained in the use of digital wallets and agent banking tools, essential skills in that will also translate into their first formal engagement with structured financial systems.
With training only on the first layer of their empowerment journey, selected participants will receive micro-grants and equipment support, including Point-of-Sale (POS) devices to enable them to convert gained knowledge into economic activity.
Dr. Segun Ogunsanya, Chairman of the Airtel Africa Foundation, said the programme is built on a straightforward ambition focused on lowering the barriers that limit women’s ability to participate meaningfully in the financial system.
“This programme is beyond charity; it is strategy. When women understand how money works and have platforms that allow them to transact safely and confidently, the entire economy benefits. Our goal is to help them take that next step with confidence,” he stated.
Dinesh Balsingh, Airtel Nigeria CEO, described the project as a reflection of the company’s long-term belief that women at the grassroots are essential drivers of local economies.
“Women in the informal sector carry a significant share of Nigeria’s economic activity,” he said. “When they gain access to the right skills and simple financial tools, the results are immediate: stronger families, stronger communities, and more resilient small businesses,” Balsingh submitted.
According to officials, the Lagos training marked a collaboration between the foundation, Smartcash Payment Service Bank, and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), as officials of the agency provided tailored guidance for participants, including market women, food vendors, artisans, and small-scale traders.
Dr Charles Odii, Director-General of SMEDAN, highlighted the initiative’s alignment with national efforts to support small businesses towards reducing poverty. “When you empower a woman, you empower a community. This partnership enables us to reach women who are already economically active and equip them with the skills and knowledge required to scale their businesses,” Odii added.
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Odii, while noting that the programme is anchored on practical, sector-specific guidance on financial record-keeping for traders, improved techniques for women in agriculture to enhance productivity, expand market access, and strengthen livelihoods. He added that efforts are underway to establish cooperative funding structures to sustain the programme’s impact beyond the training phase.
On his own, Tunde Kuponiyi, Managing Director of Smartcash PSB, emphasised the critical role of accessible financial services to help small businesses thrive. “At Smartcash, our strategy is anchored on awareness, affordability, accessibility, and availability,” he said. “As part of this initiative, we are equipping 300 women with Point-of-Sale devices to support their entrepreneurial journeys,” he asserted, adding that beneficiaries will also enjoy zero-rated transfers, cashback on transactions, and competitive savings returns, to improve financial security and reduce the cost of doing business.
Also speaking, Femi Adeniran, Director of Corporate Communications and CSR at Airtel Nigeria, said the programme underscores the foundation’s commitment to unlocking economic opportunities for women at the grassroots level. “We are proud to commence this nationwide initiative from Lagos, a city defined by resilience and a strong culture of enterprise, particularly among women. The scheme is designed to accelerate financial inclusion and expand opportunities for women in underserved communities.”
As far as he was concerned, more than 2,000 women were expected to have become beneficiaries of the training and business support across the six locations, describing the initiative as a practical demonstration of impactful corporate responsibility.
“At Airtel Africa Foundation and Airtel Nigeria, we believe that empowering women strengthens families, builds resilient communities, and drives national development,” Adeniran added.
Across the other four regions, the curriculum followed the same format: hands-on sessions, digital onboarding, and targeted support for women already running micro-enterprises but held back by a lack of financial knowledge or formal systems.
The train moved to the New Hall Building at Oyo East LGA Secretariat, Kosobo, Oyo town; Habour Bay Hotel in Kubwa, Abuja; Ikot Ekpene Local Government Council, Akwa Ibom and the Informatics Centre Hall at Kura LGA in Kano, spreading the gospel of women empowerment simultaneously across several locations between April 8 and 9. It was the turn of Enugu between April 9 & 10 at the LGA Secretariat Hall of Oji River Local Government, with a total of 1,950 women, higher than anticipated, participating in the programme.
While “Empower Her” has emerged as a flagship initiative, it is part of a broader ecosystem of high-impact interventions driven by the Airtel Africa Foundation. Programmes such as Digi Leap Tech Dive, implemented in collaboration with ISHKTolaram and SAIL Innovation Lab, is another one. It focuses on bridging the gender digital divide by equipping young women with technical skills. The initiative focuses on training 200 women aged between 18 and 35 from Ikorodu, Lagos, in industry-relevant digital competencies.
The programme delivers a 100% female-focused learning environment, combining technical training, mentorship, leadership development, and job placement linkages. Through this program, Airtel actively supports women’s participation in the digital economy while addressing unemployment and the underrepresentation of women in technology.
In addition, under the Next Gen program implemented through the 3Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative, Airtel Africa Foundation supports large-scale digital skills development across Nigeria. Currently, approximately 30.34% of participants are female, undergoing intensive Airtel-sponsored training across 45 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across the country, a reflection of the foundation’s strong commitment to intentional gender inclusion within national digital transformation efforts.
With clearly defined performance indicators aligned with each program’s objectives, including quantitative metrics such as the number of women trained, geographic reach, completion rates, certification outcomes, access to digital tools or financial services, and post-training employment or enterprise activation. For large-scale digital skills initiatives, the foundation uses gender-disaggregated data to ensure intentional inclusion and assess progress in closing the gender digital divide.
In a landscape where many have reduced CSR to visibility, the Airtel Africa Foundation is making a substance case, with interventions serving as building blocks for inclusive growth. Ultimately, the success of such initiatives will be measured not only by numbers but by narratives, the compelling stories of women who, equipped with the right tools and knowledge, transform their enterprises. In telling their stories, the women would also be telling the story of Airtel Africa Foundation and how the foundation, powered by Airtel Nigeria, has redefined what empowerment truly means.
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