LAGOS EQUIPS 1,700 GRASSROOTS ENTREPRENEURS WITH DIGITAL SKILLS, ANDROID PHONES
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By: Fasasi Hammad
The Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) has graduated another batch of market women and men, small and medium enterprise (SME) owners, young adults and artisans after a three-day digital marketing training designed to help them expand their businesses beyond local markets.
The graduation ceremony, held at the Women Development Centre in Agege on Wednesday, marked another milestone in the state government’s efforts to equip grassroots entrepreneurs with practical digital skills and tools. With the latest beneficiaries, the number of people who have completed the initiative has risen to 1,700.
Organised by WAPA in partnership with Liquid Luck Consulting, the programme was held under the theme, “From Local Business to Global Markets: Leveraging Digital Marketing for Business Growth.”
Speaking at the ceremony, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Bolaji Cecilia Dada, said the rapidly changing business environment had made digital skills increasingly important for entrepreneurs seeking to remain competitive and reach more customers.
Dada noted that the Lagos State Government was committed to creating opportunities for residents to acquire practical skills that could strengthen their businesses, improve livelihoods and promote economic participation.
She added that the provision of digital devices alongside the training was intended to help beneficiaries immediately apply what they had learned by promoting their products, engaging customers, creating digital content and accessing new markets.
According to her, businesses that begin at the grassroots can reach customers far beyond their immediate communities when entrepreneurs effectively harness digital platforms.
The beneficiaries received certificates as well as Android phones and other devices to support their digital marketing activities. They were encouraged to use the devices productively for business development rather than solely for social media entertainment.
The impact of the programme was also reflected in testimonies from previous beneficiaries.
One beneficiary, a farmer, said she had successfully taken the marketing of her farm produce, including cassava, tomatoes and bell peppers, to platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. She said the online exposure had continued to generate orders, reducing her reliance on aggressive physical marketing.
Another participant said the training helped her overcome shyness and gave her the confidence to create, promote and sell products online. She added that she now trains her children to assist with customer requests whenever she is away from home.
A widow who represented beneficiaries of the programme also expressed gratitude, saying the initiative had provided her with renewed hope and greater economic independence.
In her vote of thanks, Mrs. Rianat Ajibike Onigbanjo, on behalf of the Ministry, commended the Lagos State Government and Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu for supporting initiatives aimed at economic empowerment and poverty alleviation.
She also appreciated Commissioner Bolaji Cecilia Dada, the Director of Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Toyin Salami, members of her team and the facilitators from Liquid Luck Consulting — Mr. Lincoln Uluwatu, Mr. Folu Abisayo and Mr. Chisholm Kelvin — for their contributions to the training.
Dada congratulated the graduates and urged them to remain consistent, continue learning and make effective use of the knowledge and digital tools provided.
She said the graduation should not be viewed as the end of the programme, but as the beginning of a new phase in which beneficiaries can use digital platforms to increase visibility, attract customers and grow their businesses from local markets to wider, potentially global audiences.
The ceremony ended with the presentation of empowerment items and certificates, followed by group photographs as the beneficiaries celebrated their successful completion of the programme.
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