Ecobank Nigeria has entered into partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) on the ‘The Nigeria2Equal gender program’ targeted at reducing gender aps across employment and entrepreneurship in the Nigerian private sector. The program is the first multi-stakeholder country project focused on ensuring equality within Nigerian companies. It is organized in three components i.e. research, peer learning platform and firm level support to companies.
Speaking at the virtual launch on Friday, Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan who was represented by the Head, Consumer Banking, Korede Demola-Adeniyi , said Ecobank has policies and structures in place that promote gender balance in its employment , stating that the bank also has many initiatives and innovative products targeted at empowering and sustaining female entrepreneurs in Nigeria such as ‘Ellevate’ and ‘Ecobank Female Entrepreneurs Initiative (EFEI)’, which are designed to empower and support female owned small-scale businesses.
In her welcome address, Regional Gender Lead, Africa, IFC, Anne Njambi Kabugi, said the objective of Nigeria2Equal Gender Program is to work with the private sector to reduce gender gaps across employment and entrepreneurship, adding that the approach is to combine in-depth client work with peer learning to share best practices and create market learning.