ACCI moves to expand non-interest financing for women-owned businesses
The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), through its Banking, Insurance and Finance Trade Group in collaboration with the Women in Business Trade Group, has initiated efforts to mobilise
The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), through its Banking, Insurance and Finance Trade Group in collaboration with the Women in Business Trade Group, has initiated efforts to mobilise non-interest funding for women-owned enterprises.
As part of the initiative, the Chamber will host a high-level stakeholder roundtable on May 8, 2026, in Abuja to address persistent barriers to women entrepreneurs' access to conventional financing, including high interest rates, stringent collateral requirements, and limited credit histories.
In a statement, ACCI President Emeka Obegolu said the roundtable would explore non-interest financing models as viable alternatives, highlighting ethical, asset-backed and risk-sharing instruments such as Murabaha, Mudaraba, Ijara and Sukuk.
He reaffirmed the Chamber’s commitment to advancing women’s economic empowerment and inclusive growth.
“At ACCI, we have consistently prioritised initiatives that promote women’s inclusion in business and economic development. Women-owned enterprises are critical to job creation, innovation and sustainable growth,” he said.
Obegolu noted that the roundtable forms part of a broader strategy to bridge the financing gap affecting women entrepreneurs by addressing structural constraints that limit access to capital.
“By promoting non-interest financing models, we are creating practical pathways for women to access funding without the burden of high interest rates and rigid collateral requirements,” he added.
The event is expected to attract participation from key institutions, including the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the African Development Bank, the Bank of Industry, and the Development Bank of Nigeria.
