BENIN CITY — The Edo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women and promoting entrepreneurship through expanded business support initiatives, including free business registration and cooperative development to help women-owned enterprises thrive.
The Commissioner for Business, Trade and Investment, Hon. Omoh Anabor, gave the assurance when market leaders paid a thank-you visit to the ministry following the recently concluded Women Empowerment Sensitisation Programme, during which free Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration was facilitated for traders in selected markets.
Receiving the delegation on behalf of Governor Monday Okpebholo, Anabor described the visit as an indication that the government’s empowerment programmes were making meaningful impact. He said women remain central to the administration’s economic development agenda, noting that the sensitisation programme marked the beginning of a series of interventions aimed at strengthening female entrepreneurship across Edo State.
He assured the traders that the government would continue to support beneficiaries in securing essential business registrations with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), enabling them to access grants, funding opportunities and other government empowerment programmes.
According to the commissioner, the state is also committed to creating platforms that will help women-owned businesses expand, including opportunities to participate in export markets.
Anabor further encouraged traders operating thrift savings groups to formalise them by registering as cooperative societies, explaining that cooperative registration would improve their access to government support, financing opportunities and other development programmes.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Markets, Hon. Juliana Ikharo, said while the government has numerous intervention programmes for traders and entrepreneurs, beneficiaries must possess the necessary documentation to qualify.
She urged fish traders at Yanga Market and other groups engaged in similar businesses to register as cooperative societies to enhance their eligibility for government assistance.
Also speaking, the Head of Cooperatives in the Ministry of Business, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Evelyn Imode, outlined the requirements for cooperative registration, advising traders to organise themselves according to their various trades or business clusters to improve coordination, communication and effective monitoring.
Earlier, spokesperson for the market women, Mrs. Happy Omoigui of Depot Market, commended Governor Monday Okpebholo for creating opportunities that enable market women, producers and entrepreneurs to embrace digital business practices.
She particularly praised the government’s decision to facilitate free CAC and SMEDAN registrations during the empowerment programme, describing the initiative as timely and impactful.
The highlight of the visit was the presentation of a free CAC registration form to Miss Faith Ayeni, a young bead maker who recently completed her vocational training and displayed her handcrafted products before ministry officials.
In addition to sponsoring her business registration, Commissioner Anabor announced that Ayeni would be included in Edo State’s delegation to the next trade fair outside the state, where she will have the opportunity to showcase her products and connect with wider markets.
The visit underscored the success of the one-day Women Empowerment Sensitisation Programme organised by the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Markets in collaboration with the Ministry of Business, Trade and Investment and the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy.
