NOA canvasses affirmative action for women in business

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has called for a “concrete national affirmative action” for women in business to ensure economic inclusion of women and entrenching justice, equity and fairness.

The Director General of the agency, Dr. Garba Abari, who canvassed this position when he received the National Coordinator of the Association of Nigerian Women Business Network (ANWBN), Barr. Nkeiru Joy Okpala, on an advocacy visit in his office, said NOA would study the Nigerian Women Business Agenda of the ANWBN with a view to developing it into an advocacy policy.

In a statement released by NOA, Abari said despite the impact of the current economic recession on the Nigerian business environment, he was optimistic that Nigeria will soon emerge a stronger economy with the economic recovery programme of government which, he said, will leverage on the potentials of small businesses.

He noted that women constitute over 50% of the Nigerian population, hence the nation could not afford a business environment where women are sidelined.

Earlier, Barr. Okpala said the ANWBN, a coalition of 18 associations formed in 2013, is committed to business research and policy advocacy across the 36 states of Nigeria, especially as it affects women, in its attempt to resolve the challenges facing women in business.

The national coordinator described women as a core part of the economy which must be mainstreamed and used to grow Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the country.

She said the National Women Business Agenda is a document that identifies the policies, laws and regulations which impair the performance of women in business and hinder growth of business activities.