Across many communities in Nigeria, rural and underserved women continue to face significant barriers to economic participation due to limited access to structured business education, digital literacy, and sustainable skills training. This gap has constrained the growth of women-led enterprises, reduced income opportunities, and reinforced cycles of poverty.
In response to this challenge, Ashake Foundation successfully implemented a Business and Digital Skills Training aimed at equipping women with practical, market-relevant skills to strengthen their economic resilience.
The training was held on Friday, 16 January 2026, at Kaura District, Abuja, and was funded by Ishk Tolaram Foundation as part of the Ashake Skills and Knowledge Acquisition Programme. The initiative was designed to address the persistent lack of accessible and applicable business skills training for women, particularly those operating in informal and small-scale enterprises with limited exposure to digital tools.
Participants were engaged in interactive learning sessions focused on foundational business management, entrepreneurship, and the practical use of digital platforms to support business growth. The training emphasized real-world application, including online visibility, customer engagement, and the use of technology to expand market reach. By creating a participatory learning environment, the sessions allowed women to connect lessons directly to their individual business realities and economic goals.
In recognition of the need for continuity beyond the training day, all participants received learning materials to support post-training practice and independent application of the skills acquired. This reflects Ashake Foundation’s approach to sustainable empowerment, which prioritizes long-term impact, confidence building, and ongoing skill utilization rather than one-off capacity-building activities.
Speaking on the intervention, Mrs Mayowa Adegbile, Executive Director of Ashake Foundation, emphasized that addressing the skills gap among women is critical to reducing poverty, strengthening local economies, and advancing inclusive development. She noted that when women are equipped with relevant business and digital skills, they are better positioned to build resilient livelihoods, support their families, and contribute meaningfully to community development.
Ashake Foundation also acknowledged the support of Ishk Tolaram Foundation for enabling the delivery of the training and advancing shared objectives around women’s economic inclusion.
The Business and Digital Skills Training is part of the broader Ashake Skills and Knowledge Acquisition Programme, which focuses on equipping women and girls with practical skills, access to opportunities, and post-training support systems that enable sustainable economic independence. Ashake Foundation remains committed to scaling similar interventions, strengthening mentorship structures, and expanding partnerships to reach more women across underserved communities in Nigeria.
