Thousands of women entrepreneurs from across Africa convened in Nairobi on Tuesday, June 18, for the 2024 Absa InspireMe Conference.
The Absa InspireMe Conference is an initiative under Absa Bank’s women in business proposition, launched in 2021.
It aims to facilitate market linkages, business-to-business networking, and business mentorship for women entrepreneurs.
The 2024 Absa InspireMe Conference comes in partnership with the International Trade Centre (ITC) SheTrades Kenya Hub and will take place on 18-19 June 2024 under the theme “Empowering Your Story for Growth.”
The conference brings together women entrepreneurs from Absa participating countries, which include Kenya, Ghana, Zambia, Mauritius, and Uganda, as well as participating countries under SheTrades Hubs in Africa, that is, Mauritius, Rwanda, South Africa, Ghana, The Gambia, and Nigeria.
Concurrent with the Absa InspireMe Conference and as part of the Kenya – UK Trade Mission, select women-led businesses from the agrifood, textiles and apparel, handicrafts, and accessories sectors will participate in a series of one-to-one business meetings with potential buyers from the UK delegation and African corporations.
Representatives from participating International Trade Centre SheTrades Hubs will also discuss potential collaboration with the three participating UK delegates from the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chamber International, and West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as export opportunities available through the UK Developing Countries Trading Scheme.
Why female entrepreneurs should attend Absa InspireMe Conference
Speaking during the conference’s opening ceremony at Movenpick, Absa Bank CEO and MD Abdi Mohamed highlighted the event’s importance in addressing key issues pressing women entrepreneurs.
“The two-day forum is aimed at facilitating stakeholder engagement and discussions to address business challenges that exist for women-owned businesses as well as to identify opportunities for the businesses,” he said.
“A McKinsey Report states that if women were to fully participate in the economy, USD 12 trillion could be added to global GDP by 2025, necessitating the need to advance women’s economic empowerment,” the CEO added.
The Chief Guest and President’s Advisor on Women’s Rights, Hon. Harriette Chiggai, said the conference would enable women entrepreneurs to access the right information to scale up their businesses.
“This two-day Absa InspireMe Conference is a space for each and everyone of us to connect, share experiences, and develop the tools and knowledge to take our businesses to even greater heights. But it is also a call to action, as a community, to dismantle the barriers that still stand in the way of women’s entrepreneurial success.”
Women-led businesses have been on the rise across Africa, with the World Bank estimating that 58 percent of all African SMEs are women-owned businesses.
These enterprises are said to contribute to approximately 30 percent of the continent’s total GDP compared to 70 percent of their male counterparts.
However, women continue to lag due to the barrier of access to finance, one of the biggest challenges on the continent that contributes to stagnation and even the collapse of women-owned businesses.
Over the last three years, the InspireMe Conference has united over 8,000 women across Africa, offering them the chance to learn from mission-driven women business leaders in Ghana, Zambia, Uganda, and Kenya.
Official partners for the conference include Finance in Motion, Africa Guarantee Fund, and APA Insurance.
