Business
No fewer than 100 women in Iru Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State have benefited from a 15-day intensive Adire-making and entrepreneurship training programme aimed at promoting financial inclusion and economic empowerment.
The programme was organised by Vcare for Development Foundation (VCDF) with support from Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO), in partnership with the leadership of Iru LCDA.
The initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s 2023–2028 Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy, which identifies practical and accessible skills acquisition as a critical pathway to inclusive economic growth for women.
According to the organisers, the training was designed to strengthen women’s livelihood opportunities by equipping participants with vocational and entrepreneurial skills required to establish and sustain profitable businesses.
The beneficiaries received practical training in Adire production, including tie-and-dye and batik techniques, as well as business development modules covering costing and pricing, record-keeping, customer service, audience segmentation, marketing and business management.
The organisers said the programme was aimed at enabling participants to transform newly acquired skills into sustainable sources of income and self-reliance.
Participants described the training as impactful, noting that it had enhanced both their technical skills and confidence to venture into entrepreneurship.
One of the beneficiaries, Miss Yetunde Agbaje, said the programme had provided her with an opportunity to acquire a skill capable of supporting her education and family needs.
“The training was very helpful because, as a student, I need to have an income to support myself and my family.
“I had been waiting to learn Adire-making so I could sell, but my challenge was mastering the tying process. With what I have learned here, I can now make my own Adire and Batik materials and sell them,” she said.
Another participant, Mrs Matanmi, said the entrepreneurship sessions exposed her to effective marketing strategies and customer relationship management.
“I learned a lot about marketing, customer relationships and how to create beautiful patterns on my materials.
“I started posting Batik pictures on my WhatsApp status and got three orders even before the training ended. Now, I can produce my own Batik materials and set up my fashion business,” she said.
The programme concluded with a closing ceremony held on June 15 at the Iru-Victoria Island LCDA Secretariat, attended by representatives of the council, community stakeholders, trainers, VCDF officials and participants.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Chairman of Iru LCDA, Hon. Aminat Oluwakemi Alabi, commended VCDF and SEEPCO for supporting initiatives that promote grassroots economic development.
She said the programme reflected a shared commitment to empowering women through practical skills acquisition and enterprise development.
“We commend Vcare for Development Foundation. This programme reflects our shared commitment to equip women with practical skills to sustain the local economy.
“Human capital development will remain central to the policies and programmes of Iru LCDA,” she said.
A major highlight of the ceremony was the distribution of business starter packs containing raw materials and work tools needed for the immediate production of Adire, tie-and-dye and batik fabrics.
The organisers said the support was intended to facilitate a smooth transition from training to enterprise start-up and income generation.
VCDF said the initiative reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging SEEPCO’s corporate social responsibility support to advance inclusive and sustainable models of women’s economic empowerment through collaboration with government institutions and community stakeholders.
According to the foundation, the programme demonstrates how vocational training, entrepreneurship education and start-up support can create lasting pathways to financial inclusion, enterprise development and livelihood resilience for women at the grassroots level.
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Tags: FG SEEPCO