Women can compete with big agric businesses

Inyang Archibong

Inyang Archibong, the I’TRIX Managing Director, speaks to our reporters on how the Nigerian business environment has been friendly to women in recent time.

How has I’ITRIX been building capacity for women?

I’TRIX Resource was basically about business development. We network mostly with our Turkish business partners to develop and bring in investors in partnership with the National Investment Promotion. But recently, we have diversified into sectors like agriculture, aviation and solid minerals. We are helping women in agricultural business to build their capacity in processing and packaging their products.

What businesses have you been doing in agriculture?
Many. In one, we are initiating refrigerated warehousing in the six geo-political zones of the country as a way of reducing food and fruits wastage's.

We are also looking at assisting government generate more income, which brought up the water-meter idea. We will distribute water-meters for residents, but the state will pay partially for it. It is cost-effective as the user pays only as he consumes water.

How would you say women have fared in Nigeria’s business environment?
Generally, the business environment has been more accommodating for women in recent times more than what it used to be some years ago when it was dominated by men. We have more women in business now, many of who are being encouraged by the few that have succeeded.

 There is a group called WINBIZ, Women in Business, which had held a global international conference in Lagos for women in business. WINBIZ gathered big, small and aspiring women entrepreneurs together in what was a ground-breaking event for up-and-coming business women because it was an opportunity for them to meet and network with those who are already successful and be inspired by them. 
The business space has been expanded to accommodate women. Also, women are gaining support from the home front, their families, in actualizing their business dreams and passion.

The incumbent administration is focusing on agriculture and solid mineral as alternatives to oil and gas. And in this country, research has shown that there are lots of women in agriculture at the rural level. In the areas we are working on within the value-chain in capacity- building for these women, they will produce beyond the subsistence level. They will be provided information on how to maximize their products, and we will also help them create good markets that will enable them get good value for their products. They can then train other women in those areas. The capacity-building will improve women in agriculture from the lowest level to the mechanized farming level. We want to see women owing big farms like the Obasanjo and Murtala Nyako farms.