Newly elected President of the Nigerian chapter of the African Women Entrepreneurship Programme (AWEP) Mrs. Yemisi Iranloye has stressed the need to empower Nigeria women to enable them drive economic and social progress in their communities.

In an interview with Weekly Trust yesterday in Abuja Mrs Iranloye said need to be productively engaged with tools and opportunities to own businesses and also accelerate the growth of same.

She said by so doing they will become leaders in their communities and drive further economic and social progress there.

She said AWEP also targets to accelerate the growth of women-owned businesses, foster leadership for women's business organizations; and, support advocacy for women's economic empowerment to become 'voices of change'.

Iranloye said the organization aims to support women run businesses to enable them trade inter-regionally and export to the United States and North America, goods and services.