Nestlé Nigeria has marked the fifth anniversary of its Empowering Rural Women Initiative by providing practical business training and product grants to 50 women retailers in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The support, delivered as the programme’s 10th edition, includes Nestlé products valued at three times each participant’s existing stock, alongside a three-month mentorship period. The aim is to help the women apply their new skills, manage the expanded inventory and build more sustainable businesses.
Launched in 2021, the initiative targets women retailers who show determination to grow but face limited access to training, mentorship and capital. Before the Zaria edition, the programme had reached 432 women entrepreneurs across several Nigerian communities. The latest group brings the total to 482.
Programme monitoring indicates that more than 80% of participants from earlier cohorts have sustained and expanded their businesses beyond the initial stock boost. Many now operate with larger inventories, higher turnover, more customers and improved financial and management practices.
Women form a significant part of Nestlé Nigeria’s retail network. Boladale Odunlami, Commercial Manager at Nestlé Nigeria, noted that women account for approximately 60% of the company’s retailers. “Every day, they help us reach consumers, build trust within communities and keep our business moving,” he said. “Their contribution is significant, and we value them as important business partners. The Empowering Rural Women Initiative reflects our belief that the women who contribute to our growth should have the opportunity to grow with us.”
Training for the Zaria participants covered bookkeeping, merchandising, stock management, financial management and customer service. Mentors will continue providing practical guidance over the next three months as the women manage increased stock, reinvest profits and apply their learning. Participants were also encouraged to share experiences and build peer networks that can outlast the formal mentorship.
Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability Lead at Nestlé Nigeria, said the programme’s impact is measured by long-term results rather than the initial intervention.
“The true measure of this initiative is not the support we provide on the day, but what the women go on to build with it,” she said. “Five years on, we are seeing women sustain their growth, expand their businesses and create greater economic security for themselves and their families. That is Creating Shared Value in action.”
The Zaria edition was implemented with support from Nestlé Nigeria’s partners and local distributors, who will remain engaged during the mentorship phase.
Nestlé Nigeria says it remains committed to expanding the initiative and enabling more women retailers to develop stronger, more sustainable businesses.
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