Women and girls play a crucial role in global food systems but face significant barriers such as unequal access to land, finance, education, and leadership opportunities. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) emphasizes that addressing gender inequality is essential for achieving food security worldwide.

Women-led micro, small and medium enterprises in Nigeria's manufacturing, agribusiness and nutrition sectors face persistent barriers to capital, energy, technical skills and market access, according to organisers of an upcoming industry gathering in Lagos. Alitheia Capital, an impact investment and private equity firm, said these constraints are limiting growth and formalisation among women entrepreneurs, highlighting challenges ahead of the event.

Alitheia Capital has launched its W.O.M.A.N. 2026 programme, an initiative aimed at addressing funding challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Nigeria. According to Punch, the programme connects more than 300 women-led businesses with investors and professional expertise in an effort to close persistent capital gaps. The initiative reflects broader efforts to expand access to financing for female founders, who often face greater difficulty securing investment for their enterprises.

Nkechi Okenwa, a Nigerian engineer and CEO of Energy Excell Systems, is promoting women's inclusion in the renewable energy sector through solar innovation, STEM training, and community empowerment initiatives. She is also the founder of WEESI, which focuses on enhancing women's leadership in Nigeria's energy landscape.

Female Parliamentarians in West Africa, organized by the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA), are working to combat political marginalization and improve female representation in political decision-making. This initiative follows concerns over inadequate female participation in politics and policy-making. An Executive Masterclass held on June 25, 2026, focused on strategies for building the next generation of female leaders in the region.

Shell Plc has appointed Elohor Aiboni as Executive Vice President and Country Chair for Nigeria, effective 1 August 2026. She will succeed Marno de Jong, marking her as the first Nigerian and the first woman to hold this combined position in the company's 60-year history.