The SME Mall launched the Women in Business Support Programme in Nigeria, combining a subsidised business diagnostic tool with capacity development and access to an ₦3 million support fund, according to Punch Newspapers. Designed to tackle persistent barriers such as inadequate financing, weak financial systems, poor branding, and regulatory gaps, the initiative targets women entrepreneurs operating across agriculture, manufacturing, fashion, food and beverages, beauty, retail, technology, professional services, and the creative industries.
SME Mall Business Health Checker and Diagnostic Framework
According to Punch Newspapers, the centrepiece of the programme is the SME Mall Business Health Checker, a diagnostic tool created to help entrepreneurs identify operational weaknesses before seeking expansion capital. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of The SME Mall, Muyiwa Femi-Pearse, stated that the initiative moves beyond conventional funding-focused entrepreneurship interventions. Femi-Pearse noted that access to finance represents only one part of the growth challenge for small and medium-sized enterprises, pointing out that weak financial management, inadequate business structures, limited technology adoption, poor branding, regulatory gaps, and human resource challenges can undermine otherwise viable businesses.
The Business Health Checker assesses enterprises across six critical areas: legal and compliance, technology and tools, people and human resources, business strategy, marketing and branding, and finance and accounting. Participating entrepreneurs pay a subsidised fee of ₦7,500 for the assessment, while registration of interest remains free. The SME Mall stated that sustainable enterprise growth requires business knowledge, reliable diagnostic tools, technology, and professional support alongside capital.
Women in Business Competition Structure and Prizes
According to Techpoint Africa, the initiative also operates under the banner of the Women In Business Competition (WIBC) 2026, offering a total prize pool of ₦3 million and direct access to over 100 investors, strategic partners, and industry experts. The competition structure requires applicants to have a registered, revenue-generating business based in Nigeria, with a woman founder or a woman occupying a C-suite decision-making role.
Participants must complete the application process, attend at least two of three expert-led capacity-building webinars covering investment readiness, pitch perfection, and business scaling, and submit a pitch video of no more than two minutes through the portal, as reported by Punch Newspapers and Techpoint Africa. Selected participants advance to the Grand Finale scheduled for September 12, 2026, in Lagos. Techpoint Africa outlines the prize distribution as follows:
- 1st Place: ₦1.5 Million
- 2nd Place: ₦1 Million
- 3rd Place: ₦500,000
Beyond monetary awards, participants gain investor feedback, strategic insights, visibility amplification, and high-value networking with institutional capital sources. The SME Mall encourages women entrepreneurs to utilize the programme to critically assess their businesses, correct operational weaknesses, and deploy financial support into equipment acquisition, inventory expansion, marketing, technology adoption, production, and operational improvements.
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