The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Business Women Group (NAWORG) has urged the Federal Government to ensure 30 percent of all procurement sum is given to women businesses.
Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, Chairperson, NAWORG, made the call at a press briefing after a roundtable advocacy event for the Implementation of the Presidential Executive Order on the Consideration and Allocation of Quota to Women-Owned Businesses in Public Procurement in Abuja.
The theme of the advocacy is “Enhancing Women’s Economic Empowerment through inclusive Government Procurement Processes”.
Abubakar said in spite of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Executive Order 003; instructing all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to grant preference to local manufacturers in their procurement of goods and services, a little percentage goes to women-owned businesses.
“The case for gender equality is founded in both human rights and economic arguments. As such, closing gender gaps must be a central part of any strategy to create more sustainable and inclusive economies and societies.
“We, therefore, advocate specifically for improved market demand for products and services of women-owned businesses by leveraging on the Presidential Executive Order 3 published in 2017, titled, Executive Order on Support for Local Content in Public Procurement by the Federal Government.
“While gender parity in educational attainment is improving, women still remain severely under-represented in key growth-enhancing fields of education such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
“Women are less likely to work for pay and do more unpaid housework than men. Given this backdrop, it is no surprise that women’s position in business leadership and entrepreneurship needs to be strengthened,” she said.
The Chairperson also called for increased access to support networks, including professional advice on legal and fiscal matters, apart from the importance of improved market demand for products and services of women-owned businesses.
