Ambassador Stephen Gbatigbi Ben Joel Reaffirms Grand Patron Role Ahead of Connect Her Network App Launch


Abuja, Nigeria — June 28, 2025
By Genesis Ogiri, Newsway Media

In a renewed show of high-level diplomatic support for gender-focused innovation and sustainable development in Africa, Ambassador Stephen Gbatigbi Ben Joel, Head of Mission of the African Union Agenda 2063 Assembly, has officially reaffirmed his role as Grand Patron of the Connect Her Network Mobile App, a flagship women empowerment platform developed by the Connect Network Foundation.

This announcement precedes the highly anticipated National Women’s Impact Conference, scheduled to take place on August 9, 2025, at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja, where the app will be unveiled before a distinguished audience of policymakers, international partners, business leaders, and civil society stakeholders.

Ambassador Ben Joel, a career diplomat renowned for his involvement in multilateral development systems and transnational advocacy, has been a foundational supporter of the Connect Her Initiative since its early formulation. His diplomatic foresight and strategic involvement have helped shape the platform into a cutting-edge tool for inclusive development.

“The Connect Her Network is a diplomatic solution to a global challenge. When women are connected, entire societies rise. I am honoured to remain part of this movement,”
said Ambassador Ben Joel, in a formal statement issued from his office in Abuja.

The app, designed as a tech-based empowerment gateway, offers verified women across Nigeria and Africa access to funding opportunities, mentorship, training programs, business development services, and CSR partnerships. It also integrates government and private sector portals to enable real-time collaboration, project investment, and impact monitoring.

Ambassador Ben Joel’s continued Grand Patronage strengthens the initiative’s continental alignment with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 aspirations, especially in areas concerning inclusive governance, gender parity, and digital transformation. His participation further cements the platform’s legitimacy within Africa’s diplomatic and policymaking circles.

Ambassador Ojiah Victoria Ogwuche, Executive Director of the Connect Network Foundation and convener of the National Women’s Impact Conference, confirmed the ambassador’s reaffirmation during a media briefing with Newsway Media Reporters on Tuesday.

 “We are deeply honoured by the reaffirmed commitment of His Excellency, Amb. Stephen Gbatigbi Ben Joel. His leadership has been invaluable to our continental outlook and institutional strategy. This reaffirmation is not just symbolic—it reflects trust in the app's long-term vision and impact,”
Amb. Ojiah stated.

As preparations intensify for the August 9 launch, the Foundation continues to engage key institutions across diplomatic, economic, and civil society sectors to expand the app’s reach and ensure it remains responsive to the evolving needs of women across urban and rural divides.

In the words of one AU representative familiar with the project, the Connect Her Network “represents the kind of transformative, grassroots-driven innovation that multilateral frameworks like Agenda 2063 were designed to support.”

The Connect Her Network Mobile App is not merely a digital product—it is a governance tool that connects empowered women to ecosystems of opportunity, breaking systemic barriers and decentralizing access to growth pathways. It is a model of how Africa’s digital diplomacy can work in harmony with development goals, while empowering women at scale.

Ambassador Stephen Gbatigbi Ben Joel’s reaffirmation of his Grand Patron role not only underscores the diplomatic weight behind the Connect Her Network Mobile App but also signals a renewed era of strategic collaboration between African institutions and grassroots innovation. As the countdown to the National Women’s Impact Conference continues, the involvement of such high-level stakeholders reinforces the app’s capacity to serve as a blueprint for women-centered development, digital empowerment, and continental transformation under the guiding vision of Agenda 2063.

With stakeholders such as Amb. Ben Joel at the helm, the Connect Her Network is poised to become a continental standard for women-centered innovation, multi-sectoral impact, and diplomatic cooperation.

Connect Network Foundation
📧 connecthernetwork01@gmail.com
📞 +234 807 222 0696
Facebook: Connect Network For Women Empowerment Foundation
Instagram: @connect_networkfoundation


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