10 CHALLENGES BUSINESS WOMEN FACE IN NIGERIA.
In Nigeria, 4 out of 5 women are doing some form of business. Here are 10 challenges some of them face:
- Many men would not allow their wives to open business accounts. The wife’s business funds must be paid into the husband’s personal account.
- Many women cannot own lands. They have to depend on the mercy of their husbands to farm or build business structures. If she’s a widow or single mother, she would have to depend on in-laws.
- Many women cannot borrow business loans without the endorsement of their husbands. Some financial institutions won’t even honor such requests.
- Many women do not have access to some inputs. They just can’t afford them or they are too afraid to deal with market actors for fear of misinterpretation.
- Some businesses are male dominated. Many women are too afraid to venture into these businesses. “It would look odd,” they say.
- Many women cannot own their own businesses. The business has to be in the name of her husband or her son.
- Many child bearing women can’t travel for businesses because their husbands can’t watch over the kids.
- Many women owned MSMEs often collapse due to lack of health insurance because women often use their business money to pay hospital bills for their sick kids.
- Many business women are often bullied by customers and partners because they are women. There is no security and no easy access to remedy.
- Many women lack business management skills such as costing and pricing, marketing, book keeping and customer relationship. Some women even use their business money to buy gifts for their husbands. Others sell below cost price.
YOMI is breaking these barriers. Call +234 704 600 7185 if you are facing any of these challenges.
