The Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW), the women arm of the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), is partnering a global investment management group, Small Enterprises Assistance Funds (SEAF) in their bid to attract support for women entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

NNEW President, Mrs. Lola Okanlawon, who dropped this hint in Lagos, said the network is seeking to establish a partnership with SEAF to further foster an enabling environment towards the success of Nigerian women in entrepreneurship.

Okanlawon gave details of the history, activities, achievements, and challenges of the Network and called on SEAF to include Nigerian women entrepreneurs in their bouquet of SMEs to support in Africa.

In her response, SEAF Regional Advisor-Africa, Ms. Averi Thomas-Moore, commended the efforts of NNEW in their mission to empower women to embrace entrepreneurship and prosper in business for the general good of the society. She said SEAF is looking to work with local groups such as NNEW to bring together committed international donors to support women entrepreneurs in Africa.

NNEW, a platform established in 2005 under the aegis of NECA to promote and nurture entrepreneurship amongst women in Nigeria, has remained focused on issues crucial to the thriving of the businesses of its members.

SEAF, on the other hand, provides growth capital and business assistance to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in emerging and transition markets underserved by traditional sources of capital. Through their network of offices around the world, they invest in entrepreneurs in order to build successful businesses, hoping to realise both attractive returns for and a measurable development impact in local communities.