Women’s Inclusion Key to Nigeria’s Trade Growth — Nkiruka Okoronkwo Declares at Abuja Conference 2026
Ambassador Nkiruka Okoronkwo, a leading voice in trade promotion, export development, and women’s entrepreneurial training, has called for stronger institutional support to enhance women’s participation in Nigeria’s evolving economic landscape.
At the ongoing Global Africa Women’s Sustainability Conference 2026, held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, Ambassador Nkiruka Okoronkwo, while speaking with newsmen, called for stronger institutional frameworks to enhance women’s participation in Nigeria’s expanding trade and investment ecosystem.
Ambassador Okoronkwo, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Dauno Integrated Limited (DIL) and President of the New Image Community Development Organization Nigeria, emphasized that women remain central to unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s economic transformation, particularly in trade, export development, and entrepreneurship.
She noted that Nigeria’s trade and investment sector is currently on what she described as a “loud trajectory” of growth, but stressed that sustainability will depend on deliberate government interventions that prioritize women’s empowerment through structured entrepreneurship training and access to finance.
Speaking at the conference, she said, “Trade and investment in Nigeria are moving forward with remarkable momentum, but government must intensify efforts in training more women in entrepreneurship to deepen knowledge, innovation, and economic inclusion.”
She further highlighted the importance of continuity in capacity building, expressing satisfaction at the progress made by women she has personally trained.
“I have seen some women whom I trained at this conference today succeeding in their businesses,” she said, describing it as evidence of the impact of targeted empowerment and mentorship programmes.
Ambassador Okoronkwo maintained that while Nigeria’s economic outlook remains positive, gaps in financing and grassroots entrepreneurial education continue to limit women’s full participation in modern business systems.
She therefore urged government and development stakeholders to invest more in accessible funding mechanisms and localized training structures that would prepare women for competitive engagement in contemporary markets.
“We need government assistance in the area of finance and continuous training for women in local communities so they can fit into modern entrepreneurship systems,” she added.
Highlighting the operational strength of Dauno Integrated Limited (DIL), she explained that the company plays a strategic role in business re-engineering, export facilitation, and trade promotion, with a growing footprint across the Nigeria–Italy trade corridor and beyond.
According to her, DIL has built a reputation for linking clients to quality products and verified market opportunities through structured trade support systems designed to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction.
“Our mission is clear,” she stated. “We connect our clients with the best quality products that the market has to offer, ensuring satisfaction through a well-detailed and curated customer delivery service.”
Participants at the conference commended her presentation, describing it as aligned with Africa’s broader agenda for gender-inclusive economic development and sustainable growth.
The Global Africa Women’s Sustainability Conference 2026 continues to serve as a platform for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and development experts to strengthen strategies aimed at advancing women-led enterprises as key drivers of continental economic transformation.
