FundQuest Empowers 100 Women-led Businesses

Samuel Mobolaji

FundQuest Financial Services Limited has empowered over 100 women-led Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) at the FundHER by FundQuest Conference, an initiative designed to equip female entrepreneurs with business insights, networking opportunities, and access to funding.

The event, held in Lagos is part of FundQuest’s unwavering commitment to fostering economic growth by supporting women entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

Speaking, principal consultant, JV Management Consulting Limited, Dr. Jennifer Seidu emphasized the structural barriers that female entrepreneurs face, including limited access to capital, market expansion constraints, regulatory hurdles, talent acquisition, and scaling operational efficiency.

She highlighted the urgent need for financial institutions to develop tailored solutions that enable women-owned businesses to thrive and gave kudos to FundQuest for stepping in right on time with this initiaitve.

Group head, Brand Communication and Customer Experience at FundQuest, Joan Ediagbonya reinforced this point, citing research that, while women own 45 per cent of SMEs in Nigeria, only 10 per cent have access to formal funding.

In her presentation titled ‘Empowering Female Entrepreneurs in Nigeria’, Ediagbonya referenced Michelle Obama, former First Lady of the United States, who said, ‘no country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens.’

She went on to showcase success stories of women-led businesses that have received funding, advisory services, and financial support from FundQuest.

According to her, notably, founder of Dio’s Dlite Greek Yogurt & Treats, Mrs. Adebimpe Osanyintuyi, leveraged FundQuest’s financing to expand her food processing and distribution business.

Similarly, CEO of Veedic Nigeria Limited, Ms. Olubukola Olaigbe, accessed funding for business expansion, enabling her logistics firm to scale significantly.

Speaking on financial discipline, the treasurer at Union Bank, Mrs. Kehinde Olomojobi, advised attendees to separate personal finances from business finances, embrace structured salaries, register businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and consistently reinvest in their enterprises.

She underscored the power of networking, strategic partnerships, and focusing on competitive advantages in specialized market niches.

In alignment with these insights, managing director and CEO of FundQuest, Mr. Abiodun Akinjayeju affirmed that FundHER by FundQuest is set to be a long-term commitment to bridging the financing gap for women entrepreneurs.

He stated that, “if you educate a woman, you educate a nation; if you fund a woman’s business, you are funding the economy. Women have consistently demonstrated resilience and business acumen, and FundQuest is fully committed to supporting their entrepreneurial journeys.”