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

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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