NIGERIA: CONSUL GENERAL RECEPTION LINKS WOMEN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000187 SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W, AF/EX AND AF/PD/PA STATE PASS TO USTR-AGAMA BAGHDAD FOR MCCULLOUGH BOTSWANA FOR DROUIN DOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS AND 3130/USFC/OIO/ANESA/DHARRIS TREASURY FOR PETERS AND HALL RHMFIUU/COMUSNAVEUR NAPLES IT RHPHOGB/COMUSNAVEUR NAPLES IT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON PD NI SUBJECT: NIGERIA: CONSUL GENERAL RECEPTION LINKS WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS ¶1. (U) Summary: On March 30, Consul General Donna Blair hosted at the CGR a morning reception to honor this year's Nigerian winner of the International Women's Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC),Margaret Orakwusi. The event was sponsored by First Bank and attended by 27 Nigerian businesswomen including women from Edo, Cross River and Delta States. The head of the Lagos Business School's Entrepreneur Development Center led a discussion on overcoming challenges in the Nigerian environment, stressing the establishment of business clusters that would enable small businesses to share the cost of generators; the former First Lady of Cross River State offered women encountering difficulty storing fruits and vegetables links to Cross River's juice and canning factories. Post believes that the IWEC Program is an excellent vehicle for reaching out to outstanding women in host countries and encouraging not only entrepreneurship, but independence, private initiative and networking. End Summary. ¶2. (U) On March 30, twenty-seven Nigerian businesswomen, including seven women from Delta State and one each from Edo and Cross River States, attended a morning coffee sponsored by First Bank and hosted by the Consul General at the CGR to honor Margaret Orakwusi, the Nigerian winner of the IWEC Award 2009 The women were given the opportunity to get to know one another, chat and exchange business cards during the informal, light breakfast. After welcoming remarks by the Consul General, Mrs. Nneka Okekearu of the Entrepreneur Development Center, Lagos Business School, and Mrs. Orakwusi, Managing Director of United Fisheries and first woman president of the Nigerian Trawler Owners' Association, each spoke briefly to the participants. ¶3. (U) Mrs. Okekearu addressed the challenges of doing business in Nigeria and suggested ways to overcome problems. She stressed particularly the importance of financial planning, rational production processes, and qualified personnel. Her remarks were followed by a lively discussion focused on the opportunities for Nigerian businesswomen despite the many acknowledged handicaps. Asked about how to counter Nigeria's chronic power shortage, Mrs. Okekearu suggested establishing business clusters that would enable small businesses to share the costs of expensive diesel generators. One of the participants pointed out that such clusters offered multiple opportunities for entrepreneurs such as developing and renting space or providing logistical support. Another participant noted that large amounts of natural produce such as fruits and vegetables are wasted each year in Nigeria for lack of cold storage or processing facilities. Mrs. Onari Duke, former First Lady of Cross River State, offered to link producers with juice and canning factories in Calabar. Another participant suggested that young people needed to be trained in entrepreneurship skills; Mrs. Okekearu replied that the Entrepreneur Development Center has developed entrepreneurship curricula for both primary and secondary schools that will be presented to the Federal Minister of Education. ¶4. (U) Mrs. Orakwusi gave a short address in which she described her participation in the IWEC awards in New Delhi, India, and highlighted success stories of several of award winners from around the world. She noted in particular the extreme difficulties that women in other countries had overcome to achieve their current success. In the subsequent discussion many women were again able to exchange contact information and explore areas of possible cooperation. Many participants also expressed appreciation to the Consulate for the opportunity to network with other businesswomen. ¶5. (U) Comment: Post believes the IWEC Program is an excellent vehicle for reaching out to outstanding women in host countries and encouraging not only entrepreneurship, but LAGOS 00000187 002 OF 002 independence, private initiative and networking. Partnering with a successful host-country business woman, in this case the Executive Director of First Bank, proved very successful as it not only provided financial support but also underlined the opportunities for women here in Nigeria. Post would welcome the opportunity for women who are not winners of the IWEC Award to self-finance participation in future IWEC events, particularly the 2010 IWEC Awards which are to be held in Cape Town, South Africa. In addition to fostering positive attitudes towards the United States, support for IWEC enables the Mission to identify women in the private sector who have leadership qualities and may play a role in strengthening civil society, trade and economic development in the long run. End Comment. ¶6. (U) This cable was cleared by Embassy Abuja. HUDSON