MTN plans training for female entrepreneurs

Odunayo Sanya, is the executive secretary, The MTN Foundation has said it will train female entrepreneurs in global business skills.

Speaking at a media parley to unveil the sixth phase of the ICT and business skills training capacity-building programme targeted at female entrepreneurs and business owners between the ages of 18-35 years, Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya, stated that it was the sixth phase of the ICT and business skills training, which was a collaboration between MTN Foundation Y’ellopreneur, Mastercard Foundation, and Enterprise Development Centre.

She said, “At the Foundation we got into some desk research, and we found that there was a gap when it came to women being able to manage and own their own businesses. In 2021, only two per cent of venture capitalists’ funds globally, went to women-led businesses or women-founded businesses.

“We realised there was a gap. Or it dawned on us again, that we needed to build the capacity of women apart from the fact that yes, this strongly contributes to SDG five we talked about gender equality and all of that. But it was now important to bridge that huge gap. So for us, the Y’ellopreneur is really first about capacity building. And then yes, you build capacity and then what do you do next? And that’s where we now iced it like a cake with the partnership with a Bank of Industry even though they are fully funded and EDC. EDC is our knowledge partner who will train the women and then the Bank of Industry will administer for us the funds that MTN Foundation was given.”